MONTREAL - The Human-aux-Chats cat shelter in Montreal North was shut down Wednesday and will be off limits to anyone as of this weekend, leaving the no-kill shelter's operator in a desperate situation to find homes for the 300 cats under her care.

Monica Campo runs the shelter on de Paris Ave. in Montreal-North, and she is exasperated by the urgency of the situation.

"These are living creatures," Campo said. "This is like, right now like war and we need to put these cats in a refugee camps for awhile."

Campo and her team of volunteers are allowed inside only a couple of hours a day to feed the felines and clean-up after them. But even that access will no longer be permitted as of this weekend.

Fire inspectors have shut the building down for failure to meet codes, specifically the lack of a fire escape at the back of the building.

"The building owner is cooperating," said Montreal's chief fire inspector, Alain Rouleau. "But the plans require an architect and city permits."

That will take time, something Campo and her volunteers don't have. They're hoping the community can help them find a solution.

"We pay rent, and you know all of our animals are sterilized, vaccinated and in good health," Campo said.

There's hope, but there's also a lot of frustration.

"The government should have money and programs to help ladies like this," said volunteer Diana Culliford. "Because I think the SPCA is full, Berger Blanc is full."

These are the cats that nobody has wanted, but Monica Campo hopes someone will want them in this time of need.

Anyone who wants to get in touch with the shelter can contact Monica Campo at 514-220-0353.



