The City of Edmonton has been fined $1,000 after pleading guilty Monday to a charge under the Animal Protection Act related to the deaths of three feral cats last year.

On May 18, 2018, several cats were taken from the city's Animal Care and Control Centre (ACCC) to another city facility as part of a pilot program designed to provide homes for feral cats.

Three cats died within one day of being moved. The Alberta Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals laid charges.

"As an organization we accept full responsibility for this incident and we are seeking ways to strengthen and improve procedures and guidelines related to the feral cat re-homing program that was suspended in 2018," David Aitken, branch manager for Community Standards and Neighbourhoods, said in a news release Monday.

Originally, the city and four employees were charged. But all charges against the employees were withdrawn, the news release said.

"Situations like this deepen our resolve to find a new way to help unadoptable cats find new homes," Aitken said.

The program for feral cats was launched in March 2018 to provide suitable homes for feral cats brought into the ACCC.

Cats were spayed or neutered and medically cleared before being transferred to other city facilities with warehouses or storage yards.

The cats were given food, water and shelter with the hope they would act as "mousers" to help keep rodent populations under control, the city release said.

The program was suspended after the cat deaths.

The city plans to reintroduce the program by the end of 2019, "but only once all necessary checks and balances are in place to ensure the safety of feral cats in its care," the release said.

It's estimated Edmonton has about 65,000 feral cats. About 800 feral cats are brought into the ACCC each year.

The animals are difficult to adopt out as pets because they are not socialized for contact with humans and if a placement for them is not found, they are euthanized, the release said.

Thirty-three cats were successfully placed in city facilities during the program's first three months.