Write a commentWith over 230 cats reported missing on the island of Ireland a project has been started by employees of local business Pet Connection, based on the Dublin Road in Newry to highlight the issue. It's not known why so many cats appear to have gone missing but the possibility that they have been stolen for whatever reason is a growing concern in the Newry area.
As Emma O'Hare of Pet Connection says "These cats are family pets, who have no reason to wander, and we are extremely concerned that they are being stolen for malicious purposes."
The initiative gives pet owners a place where they can report their missing cat and as in the case of Luna who turned up yesterday (1 November) after being missing from January, some do get found and returned home even after many months.
Luna dissappeared 21 January this year from close to the Orchard Bar on the Rathfriland Road, just outside Newry and was found, more than 8 miles away from her home, and handed in to the USPCA who scanned her microchip and contacted the owners.
A Pet Connection representative said "We're not sure where she has spent the last 9 months. If only she could tell us. What we do know is that she is in good health, and has been well fed.
"Was she stolen from her home and moved to a new area? Did she hitch a lift in a van? Or was she being held somewhere, and was spooked by the fireworks last night and managed to escape?
"We would like to send a very clear message, if she was stolen from her home and taken away. Cats are regarded by the law as 'property' of their owners. This means it is an offence to steal a cat, the same way that it is to take a wallet or a car. Taking someone's cat away and putting it in a new area, is stealing! Not liking cats is not a good enough reason to take a family pet."
Reporting your missing Cat
You can report a missing cat or check out the ones presently missing at www.petconnection.ie
