‘It was a little scary’: Rags to Riches Cat Rescue seeking guidance to bring operations into compliance

The operators of a cat rescue near Tillsonburg fear they may have to shut down in the wake of a provincial inspection. CTV London’s Gerry Dewan reports.

The Rags to Riches Cat Rescue is located on a three-acre property along Colonel Talbot Road in Norfolk County, just south of Tillsonburg.

It started as a registered charity about two years ago, and last June, shelter founder and CEO Tammy DaPalma, co-opted her husband’s garage to house a growing number of cats.

“Cats that we’re picking up that have unfortunately had trauma done to them, whether they be shot or claws pulled out or ears cut off, things like that. We’re here to make a difference.”

DaPalma told CTV News that many of the cats that land at her doorstep have been abandoned on rural roads, often a mom and her litter.

DaPalma said cat rescues routinely get slammed in the spring with a higher number of drop-offs, “We’re doing what we can to save the cats out in the countryside.”

About three weeks ago, responding to a complaint, members of the Provincial Animal Welfare Service (PAWS) arrived at the Rags to Riches property.

DaPalma says she wasn’t told the nature of the complaint or who filed it but within a week there was a follow-up visit.

“So, we had five provincial vehicles here in the driveway. It was a little scary. There was three vet techs, the veterinarian and the original two officers. They went through and they inspected all of the animals. There were a couple that they wanted quickly rushed to the vet.”

DaPalma insists those cats had recently been seen by a veterinarian but complied with the request. The PAWS team then sent follow-up letters with concerns for what they called rampant feline respiratory infections.

“Their main concern being that they are in a 30-by-30 building is that there’s no quarantine space. So essentially what we would need is a much larger building to continue doing what we do for our operations. And we would need two separate quarantine spaces,” DaPalma said.

DaPalma estimates the shelter had about 200 cats and kittens when PAWS inspectors first visited the property, and volunteers have been working to move cats to other rescues and shelters since that time.

She said she hasn’t been able to get answers regarding what kind of timeline the shelter has to reach compliance, or exactly what that might look like, but has been told the cats may be removed by the province.

“Essentially, when I asked the question, ‘What would happen to these cats if you came in and chose whoever you wanted and you couldn’t find space for them with other rescues?’ And there was dead silence on the other end of the phone,” she said.

Asked what her biggest fear was, she replied, “I could only assume that would mean euthanasia.”

The Provincial Animal Welfare Service Act says euthanasia can be ordered if an animal is suffering, if its owner or custodian cannot be found promptly or if the veterinarian believes euthanasia is the most humane course of action.

CTV requested comment from PAWS officials but, as of the posting of this article, hadn’t received a response. DaPalma says there’s been no indication if or when there will be a return visit by PAWS.