Cat rescue charity faces eviction, fears cats will be seized

The charity has to be out by March 1

Torontosun.com
Feb. 11, 2021
Jenny Yuen

A GTA cat rescue organization fears its 15 felines will be left out in the cold unless it can find a new home.

North Toronto Cat Rescue says the house the charity has rented is slated for redevelopment and the volunteer-run charity has to be out by March 1.

Founder Donna Cox said when she signed the lease agreement 2 1/2-years ago, she was told by the landlord it would at least five years before they’d have to move. The situation is complicated by zoning issues -- the home near Dufferin and Centre Sts. is on land zoned commercial and the City of Vaughan, she said, requires her to be on agricultural land to run the shelter.

She spent $50,000 fixing up the place on top of paying the $4,000 monthly rent. At one point, she had 50 rescued cats in nine rooms.

But the city, she said, won’t give her the permits -- costing thousands -- required to run a cat rescue.

“You’re only allowed three cats under the bylaw, anything over that Animal Services will take it away,” said Cox, who worried any cat seized by Animal Services may be euthanized.

Cox said the cat rescue operates with a no-kill policy, has been saving looking after felines for 33 years and is helped by 60 volunteers around the GTA.

“Our whole life has been taking these dying animals off the streets from the cold, from starvation,” she said.

According to the City of Vaughan, its Animal Services shelter is the only place where stray cats can be turned over. Staff then try to locate the owner, the city said.

“Animal rescues and shelters require a business licence to operate lawfully in the City of Vaughan,” a spokesperson said in a statement.

“As part of the licensing process, they must also meet other requirements, including zoning and animal control. In the case of the North Toronto Cat Rescue, animal shelters are not permitted to operate in this location, and it is not in compliance with the business licensing or animal control bylaws.”

Cox said she’s applied for a variance on this matter. The city said the issue will come before a future Committee of Adjustment meeting, but the hearing date has not yet been set.

The charity is now petitioning Vaughan Mayor Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua to allow the rescue to continue to operate for another two or three years. Nearly 5,000 people had signed the petition as of Wednesday.