The cat did not come back
The South Waikato SPCA is being investigated after a family’s cat was mistakenly trapped by a neighbour and then allegedly released by the society in another town.
But the claim is denied by South Waikato SPCA chairwoman Sandra Harringtonfrost.
Last month Anne-marie Mcallister’s family’s cat Oscar, went missing from their home in Putaruru. He was a 6.5kg tabby they adopted last year.
When the usually clingy cat didn’t return Mcallister and her children began to worry so they asked their neighbours if they had seen him.
It was then they learnt from one neighbour that another of their neighbours had trapped him thinking he was a stray and had taken him to a local vet.
The vet refused to euthanise the cat because he was too friendly and, instead, gave him to the South Waikato SPCA.
Mcallister said she spoke to Harrington-frost who told her Oscar had been released behind the old SPCA shop in Tokoroa, because he was an adult and would not have been able to be rehomed.
Mcallister said she was ‘‘blown away’’ by what she heard.
Harrington-frost disputed the claims and said there was no guarantee the cat brought in was Oscar. She said even if it was, he was a stray and not the family’s.
‘‘The cat had been relinquished and it was also living at another address so they have been feeding a stray,’’ Harrington-frost said.
‘‘No cat was released, he was adopted. I don’t want to go into it anymore because the police have been involved.’’
Mcallister said they adopted Oscar after his previous owner moved from the area. Oscar had kept trying to return to his previous owner’s address - down a shared driveway where they live.
SPCA chief executive officer Andrea Midgen said the incident was being taken ‘‘very seriously’’.
‘‘We have received a complaint from the party down there and it sounds like things have not been done as they should have been but I cannot say a lot before the conclusion of our formal investigation,’’ she said.
Mcallister said Oscar was picked up by the neighbour on a Thursday and she had phoned Harrington-frost that Saturday.
‘‘Anyone who has cats knows you keep them inside for 7 to 14 days before you let them out in a new place,’’ Mcallister said.
‘‘A domesticated cat is not going to go ‘hey I like this new home on the street with no bed and no people to cuddle’.
Call 027 558 7276 if you see Oscar.
‘‘A domesticated cat is not going to go 'hey I like this new home on the street with no bed and no people to cuddle'.’’ Anne-marie Mcallister