"Throw them in the river": The mayor of Alberta retracts comments on wild cats
In her apology, Katchur acknowledged that her remarks did not align with the values of compassion, respect, and care that the community upholds.
Fort Saskatchewan Mayor Gale Katchur has issued an apology after making controversial comments about how her family dealt with feral cats on their farm in the past, mentioning methods such as drowning them in a river or gassing them with a car's exhaust.
In her apology, Katchur acknowledged that her remarks did not align with the values of compassion, respect, and care that the community upholds.
"I sincerely apologize for the remarks and any hurt they may have caused," she said in a statement.
She also emphasized her commitment to ensuring that Fort Saskatchewan adopts humane and responsible approaches to managing animal populations.
The incident occurred during a Committee of the Whole meeting, where Katchur, in a seemingly lighthearted tone, referenced old farming practices of dealing with unwanted cats, including putting them in bags and throwing them in the river or using exhaust pipes.
She remarked, "I hope that doesn’t get captured anywhere, as being the mean mayor."
Katchur faced significant backlash for the comments, which many found inappropriate.
In her apology, she expressed regret that her words fell short of the standards of leadership the community expects and vowed to learn from the experience.
Officials report that there have been few complaints regarding feral cats in Fort Saskatchewan, with only 11 calls for service over the past six years.
Following Mayor Gale Katchur's apology for her remarks about past methods of managing feral cats, both the Alberta SPCA and the Edmonton Humane Society issued a joint statement expressing their concern.
Alberta SPCA Executive Director Leanne Niblock stated, “While we applaud the community for discussing responsible pet ownership bylaws, we are incredibly disappointed anyone would make such callous comments about the treatment of animals, let alone a community leader.”
Both organizations warned that anyone caught engaging in the actions Katchur mentioned could face charges under the Criminal Code of Canada or the Animal Protection Act for animal cruelty.
Edmonton Humane Society CEO Liza Sunley emphasized the importance of humane, non-lethal approaches such as Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) to manage feral cat populations.
"Euthanasia, when necessary, should always be conducted humanely by veterinary professionals," Sunley added.
