Eastern Ontario cats: Advocates calling for transparency, oversight amid investigation into cat rescue [Video]

Advocates are calling on the province for more transparency and oversight as the investigation continues into an eastern Ontario cat rescue accused of abuse, neglect and falsifying medical records.

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Sandi Lawson and Jackie Gauthier are the co-founders of Speak Up For Paws, a non-profit organization focusing on advocacy and education for animals in Ottawa and surrounding areas.

“With COVID, a lot of cats were being dumped and with the increase in prices with the vetting, for everything in general, more and more cats were being dumped than ever before,” said Lawson.

Lawson says more cats, means more rescues popping up to help fill in the gaps. But with no provincial laws governing who can operate a rescue, it means anyone can start one and apply as a registered charity.

“There is nobody there to say, ‘You can’t open a rescue, you can open a rescue, we’re going to come to your …