News Release 2004
Cat Comes Back, Six Weeks Later
This press release is also available in PDF format.
November 19, 2004
For immediate release
The Ottawa Humane Society recently returned a cat to its owner-six weeks after the cat was reported missing. The owners are left wondering what happened to the cat, who suffered severe-and likely permanent-injuries while he was missing.
The 14-year-old tabby cat arrived at the OHS in early November. He was unable to stand and suffering from dehydration, malnourishment and hypothermia. While animal technicians worked to stabilize the animal, members of the lost and found department began scouring lost reports for a match. Based on the cat's description and area lost, they found one match-luckily, it was the right one. Within an hour, frantic owners John and Michelle Storey arrived at the OHS to retrieve their wayward pet.
"Many people worry about what will become of their pet if they're no longer here," says Samantha Laprade, OHS Manager, Planned Giving. "The Pet Stewardship Program offers them peace of mind that their companion animal will be well loved and cared for," adds Ms. Laprade. "We encourage all local pet owners to think about their pet's future when they are planning their own estate."
"He never ventured from our backyard," says Ms. Storey, "but then one day he just disappeared." The couple did all the right things: posting notices around the neighbourhood, going door-to-door with flyers and contacting the OHS with a description and photo of their pet. Despite several calls about "Bangle sightings" over the weeks, the first time the Storeys saw their cat again was when they picked him up from the OHS. Ms. Storey says that while Bangle is slowly improving, he may have permanent neurological damage from a head trauma whose cause is unknown. "We had to feed him through a syringe for two weeks," she says. She hates to think of how the head trauma may have occurred, and wonders if it was caused by a human.
OHS Operations Manager says the Storeys are lucky the OHS was able to match the lost report to their pet. "Of the stray cats who come in here," she says, "only 5-7% are claimed. Cats can stray for miles, and a lot of cats have similar descriptions. Often, the period between the cat going missing and ending up here is months, by which point the owner has given up looking."
Ms. Gordon says that the Humane Society has been more aggressive in trying to get lost cats back to their original homes, but that owners need to take measures to ensure that, if their animal becomes lost, it has the best chance of coming home. This includes ensuring the cat is wearing a collar and tag and is microchipped.
For media enquiries, contact:
Sharon Miko, Outreach Manager
725-3166, Ext 261, or 277-3125 (cell)
