Pet-Abuse.Com - Animal Abuse Case Details: Cat stolen, abandoned in ditch

Cat stolen, abandoned in ditch
Sarnia, ON (CA)

Incident Date: Saturday, Jul 14, 2007
Disposition: Alleged

Alleged: man

Case Updates: 1 update(s) available

Case ID: 11770

Classification: Theft, Neglect / Abandonment

Animal: cat

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Animal was offleash or loose

A Sarnia man has been charged with theft and animal cruelty after allegedly stealing a neighbour�s two-year-old cat from an Afton Drive townhouse Saturday evening. He then dropped off the cat in a ditch on Blackwell Side Road, said Sarnia Police. The man, who�s name has not been released, will appear in Sarnia court Aug 21.

Case Updates

Animal cruelty complaints in Sarnia-Lambton have nearly doubled over the past year, and an incident on the weekend underscores the need for enforcement, says the local humane society manager.

Tami Holmes lauded Sarnia police for charging a man with theft and animal cruelty after he allegedly stole a neighbour's cat Saturday and released it in a rural part of the city. Holmes said too often complaints aren't taken seriously.

"It's nice to see (the police) trying to end this," she said.

Ontario's animal cruelty laws have been in place since 1892 and are the most lenient in Canada, Holmes said.

The humane society has been asked to investigate 152 complaints since January, double the calls received at this time last year.

"There is lots of abuse out there, but people just aren't as aware of it as they should be," Holmes said.

The maximum sentence for animal cruelty is six months in jail, a fine of $2,000 and a prohibition from owning an animal for two years.

Sarnia police Const. Bill Baines said officers take all complaints seriously, including animal cruelty issues. In the case of Saturday's incident, police took action after neighbours witnessed the alleged theft at a housing co-op on Afton Drive.

Police said the man was angry that the cat was coming onto his property and believed it broke co-op rules. He allegedly dropped the cat in a field near Blackwell Sideroad and Confederation Line.

A short time later, police located and arrested him. He is scheduled to appear in Sarnia Court on Aug. 21.

"The animal hasn't been recovered. That's the sad part," Baines said. "Needless to say, the family is kind of shaken by it and upset at the loss of their pet."

The cat, a nursing female about two years old, is described as a brown-stripe tabby wearing a pink collar.

Baines said it's important that pet owners keep an eye on their animals and ensure they don't roam free and bother neighbours. Equally important is resolving the situation properly if you are bothered by an errant pet.

"There is a right way and a wrong way to lodge a complaint," he said. "Of course the correct way is to contact the city's animal control officers or city police rather than taking matters into your own hands."

Source: The Observer - July 17, 2007
Update posted on Jul 17, 2007 - 4:29PM

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The Sarnia Observer - July 16, 2007

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Cat stolen, abandoned in ditchSarnia, ON (CA)

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Cat stolen, abandoned in ditch
Sarnia, ON (CA)