Not a very merry feline Christmas

SPCA's claws out after cat dumping
21 December 2005
By YVONNE TAHANA

A mass dumping of cats in Hamilton has the SPCA wishing it could put someone away for abandonment.

SPCA manager Chris Wood arrived at work yesterday to find 15 cats ? six adults, one juvenile and eight kittens ? stacked in three boxes. Three more cats were abandoned later in the day to add to 25 other felines at the full Ellis St facility. Mrs Wood said it was the start of the cat-dumping season as people went on holiday. The SPCA expected to be busy during the next two months. "Cats seem to be so disposable," she said.

Under the Animal Welfare Act, the maximum penalty for abandoning animals is a $25,000 fine or six months in jail. However, proving cat ownership is difficult. Convictions were rare. Mrs Wood said if she caught a dumper she would enforce the law. "I really would ? it would send a lovely strong message."

In a letter attached to the boxes, the dumper said: "Dear SPCA officer: Please take care of them temporarily and help us find them new homes. If unfortunately you have to make them sleep eventually, please tell them that they have been wonderful members of the family and that the dad and mum will always love them and miss them. Thank you very much."

The person left 15kg of food for the SPCA but that did not mollify Mrs Wood. "I've got no sympathy. They're making their problem someone else's," she said.

"...dad and mum will always love them and miss them" my Aunt Fanny. People like that are the sort who encourage my misanthropy. :icon_evil: . I wish I was there to give one or two kitties a home.

Quite a few people we have met have adpoted strays cats, including ourselves. Sadly our poor little bugger died not so long ago :icon_sad:

At least they left food, they could have done so much worse and therefore should not be made an example of, if caught, by prosecution.

They wouldn't be finding anyone responsible if all of them were in a sack adding to the drownng statistics. Therefore people would just do that instead.

Sadly our poor little bugger died not so long ago :'(

Not 'died' but murdered by a speeding vehicle in a residential area. These people play fast and loose with other people's pets.

Thank God it wasn't a child.

Oh my gosh you didn't tell me that Taffy, i thought the little mite had died of old age!

Oh that's awful, sorry. :icon_cry:

These Christmas hats just don't fit the mood.

I'm not sure I can say anything else, because I'll get too angry and rant about useless-sacks-of-soiled-kitty-litter humans who ought to replace those poor cats in the shelter. Let's see who wants to adopt them >:(

Taffy & Welshgirl - I'm gutted to hear about your cat. I'm often telling cats to be wary of the street; hopefully they listen.

Don't they have catteries in NZ where people can board their pets while they go away? I think it's a bit drastic and needless to abandon pets if these facilities are available. We only have one option here, the vet. They are the only ones who board cats. I hate putting ours in there, as they are confined to small wire cages and are only let out for a wander round the room when there aren't any clients around. Our Chunky, for one, will come out looking skeletal again, as he's used to roaming free and can't stand being shut up. Purdey's not quite so bad and is on meds anyway, which tend to dope her up a bit. However, it had never occurred to me to dump them somewhere just because we're going on holiday.

"...dad and mum will always love them and miss them" my Aunt Fanny.

;D Did you forget that "f" word means something else outside of our borders? ;)

Don't think she did actually. Wasn't it intended to mean what it could mean to naughty speech interpretation.
Perhaps I'm giving too much credit to american humour hmmm. You could be right.