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Humane Society worker faces charges after cats left in truck for 3 weeks

Humane society says it will no longer enforce Animal Protection Act in Edmonton

An employee with the Edmonton Humane Society faces two charges under the Animal Protection Act after three cats were left in a transport truck for three weeks.

The employee, who isn't named in the agency's news release, was charged Thursday with causing or permitting animals to be in distress, and failing to provide animals with adequate food and water.

The individual is set to appear in court on Nov. 23. The employee has been reassigned to administrative duties pending the outcome of the case.

This is the first time a society employee has faced charges under the Animal Protection Act.

"The Edmonton Humane Society takes these charges very seriously and we are committed to learning and growing from this incident to ensure it never happens again," Summer Barko, chair of the board, said in a news release.

An independent investigation overseen by Kim Krushell, a former Edmonton city councillor, is expected to wrap up soon.

It was supposed to be completed by August but the Calgary firm doing the investigation wanted the deadline extended to review documents and talk to more witnesses.

The cats were discovered on April 18, 22 days after they were transported to the Edmonton facility from another agency.

They were dehydrated, hungry and had urine burns on their paws. The cats have since recovered and been adopted by owners in southern Alberta.