EDITOR'S NOTE: Yay For Strays Cat Cafe owner Chantelle Gaudette initially turned down an interview request prior to publication of this article. Gaudette has since joined Live and Local with Kyle Horner. That interview is below.
The Yay For Strays Cat Cafe on Ottawa Street in Windsor has closed its doors for 10 days after being served with a violation by the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU), according to its owner Chantelle Gaudette.
The cafe is split into two separate sections with one side being the cafe where customers can purchase food, drinks, and merchandise, and a second section called the cat lounge, where the public can hang out with adoptable kittens.
The kittens were previously provided through a partnership with the Windsor/Essex County Humane Society. Executive Director of the WECHS, Lynette Bain, says the partnership came to an end as Gaudette wanted a higher number of cats available in the cafe but there are regulations in place regarding how many cats can be offered by the Humane Society.
The cafe states it now welcomes strays from SNAP for Cats, a local animal activist group.
Gaudette took to social media Tuesday night stating she was well aware of the rules that prohibited cats from entering the cafe side, however she disregarded the rules resulting in multiple warnings from WECHU.
Gaudette said WECHU officials visited her Tuesday to investigate a cat bite to a child.
According to Gaudette, WECHU issued a violation for having cats in the cafe.
Gaudette said she was closing her doors until Aug. 11, as the animals need to be quarantined in order to make sure there is no risk of rabies transmission.
Gaudette said she was aware the cat in question needed to be quarantined, but did not do so.
"I have my own opinion about it. But my opinion doesn't matter and rules are rules. They are there for prevention," said Gaudette in a social media post.
Gaudette declined an interview request.
In a statement to AM800 News, WECHU said it investigates every potential rabies exposure incident, such as animal bites or scratches, with great care:
This includes an assessment of the rabies risk based on the animal species involved and the animal behaviour, and as appropriate - confinement of animals when available, rabies virus testing of a deceased animal, and ensuring individuals have access to prevention treatment, including rabies vaccine and immunoglobulin.
During an investigation:
For more information, please visit https://www.wechu.org/z-health-topics/animal-bite.
WECHU declined further comment stating it was an ongoing investigation.