Thursday December 26, 2024 | VANCOUVER, BC
Posted by Island Social Trends
Two cats were recently found in an abandoned vehicle that was towed, says BC SPCA today in a Boxing Day news release.
An older black female cat is still in the care of BC SPCA while the young grey male kitten has been placed in a forever home.
“The towing company reached out to the BC SPCA’s animal helpline when the cats were discovered in the vehicle,” says Eileen Drever, the BC SPCA’s senior office, protection, and stakeholder relations.
“The cats were living in a hoarding type of situation, the car was filled with hazardous items, rotting food and garbage throughout,” said Drever in the news release.
The towing company staff had provided the cats with food and water. “They were particularly concerned about the elderly cat who appeared to be injured,” says Drever. “She wasn’t moving but would eat food when it was placed in front of her.”
Rescue timeline:
It’s unclear how long both cats were with the towing company before being “safely contained and brought to the BC SPCA’s Vancouver animal centre”.
A BC SPCA animal protection officer attended the towing company. “They reported that the vehicle’s windows were closed, and it smelled strongly of feces and urine,” says Drever.
“It took quite some time to get the cats safely into carriers as the cats were nervous and they tried to retreat to the rear of the vehicle there was a concern some of the haphazardly stacked items would fall on them.”
Second such incident:
“This is the second incident of finding cats inside towed vehicles in a month,” says Drever.
“The other took place in Abbotsford, where an abandoned vehicle with flat tires was towed to a tire shop where staff found a cat and two kittens inside., says the BC SPCA rep. In that case, the cats were brought to an animal hospital which reached out to the BC SPCA.
The Abbotsford cat and her kittens are currently in foster and will be available for adoption in approximately three to four weeks.
Pet care during the holidays:
The holidays can be a magical time, but it can also bring new challenges and struggles. The BC SPCA would like to remind anyone who may be struggling to care for their pets to reach out to the BC SPCA’s animal helpline or Give Care webpage to discuss the available options and resources for help.
