TV doc delves into Cornwall cat crisis

A documentary featuring the ongoing feral cat crisis in Cornwall will have its première next week.

The 70-minute TVO Original, titled Running Wild, The Cats of Cornwall, shines a light on the city's continuous feral cat crisis. It was written and directed by Aaron Hancox and produced by Markham Street Films.

“Running Wild: The Cats of Cornwall tells a fascinating Ontario story,” said John Ferri, vice-president of current affairs and documentaries at TVO.

“Not only does it shine a light on the complicated dynamics between humans and creatures we normally think of as pets, but it's also an inspiring example of how citizen engagement can drive change.”

Cornwall's feral cat population has been an issue for several years. In 2017 alone, 764 stray cats were taken in by the Ontario SPCA Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Animal Centre — almost a third of the total number taken in by the OSPCA provincewide.

A 2019 bylaw requires all owned cats in Cornwall to be spayed or neutered within five years of being adopted. To tackle the costs involved, the city offered a subsidized spay/neuter program.

But the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic coupled with a limit on how many applications can be approved for the subsidy has meant the situation hasn't changed much.

The Cornwall Standard-Freeholder reported in 2019 that openings at the subsidized clinic, which comes to Cornwall for two days every few months, had been booked for the entire year within days. The clinic performs about 60 spay or neuter operations each time.

Local cat activist Mellissa Alepins says the best-case solution to the cat crisis would involve a permanent clinic or some support from local veterinarians.

Running Wild: The Cats of Cornwall will be broadcast on TVO on Nov. 24, at 9 p.m. and will be available for streaming on TVO. org 24/7. It will also air Nov. 28 at 9 p.m. and Nov. 29 at 10:30 p.m.