When Cat Guys Go Bad
In Dallas last week, a man wielding a baseball bat retrieved his lost cat at the Dallas Animal Shelter Monday, refusing to pay the $132 fee, and nearly running over two shelter employees in the parking lot as he escaped in his truck. Here’s the story as reported in the Dallas Morning News:
Kent Robertson, the shelter’s manager, said the man had come to the shelter in the 1800 block of North Westmoreland Road in early October and found his cat among the other animals. The cat had been brought to shelter by someone who thought it was a stray.
The man became upset when employees told him that he had to pay a $132 fee to retrieve his gray and blue short-haired cat.
According to police, the man returned about 11:30 a.m. Monday and signed into the guest book. Once he found his cat, he retreated to his truck and returned with a bat and an animal carrier.
After he loaded the cat into the carrier, staff members told him that he needed to pay the fee. The man raised the bat over his head and threatened the staff. He then walked to his truck, keeping employees at bay by swinging the bat.
He drove away in his 1986 brown Ford F-150, nearly running over two shelter employees, said Senior Cpl. Kevin Janse, a Dallas police spokesman. No one was struck or injured.
“I haven’t ever experienced this before,” Mr. Robertson said. “Usually, people thank us for rescuing their animals. This was pretty extreme.”
Cpl. Janse said police are searching for the man based on the name he used in the guest book, which Cpl. Janse declined to reveal. The man could be charged with aggravated robbery and two counts of aggravated assault.
So whadya think? Feline Felony or Justifiable Catnapping?
WELL clearly that’s a bit of an extreme reaction, though to be honest I would probably be annoyed about having to pay $132 for a cat that is already mine. but I am v. obsessed with my cats, so if the shelter required the fee, I’d fork it over in order to get them back.
I wonder if there’s more to that story? I mean why was his cat out running around like a stray in the first place? Hmm…
My concern is, if he is found, and goes to jail, what happens to the cat then?
Yes, I would be really upset if I had to pay for a cat that was already mine, but I’m concerned for the welfare of the cat because if he behaves like that, then how is he with his cat?
Well, he obviously wanted his kitty back! Perhaps he didn’t hv the money to pay the fee. that’s a lot of dough for some people. it wuld be hard to have to pay for wht was already urs! But he shuldn’t of threatened the folks as they ws just trying to help his kitty. More to story for sure!!!
He isnt paying for something that was already his, as a few have said, he is paying the costs the shelter incurs when it takes in a cat. It isnt free for them to do what they do.
He should not be trusted with a pet!!!
Was he quoted the fee in Euros or Dollars? I vote for the FBI (Feline Bat Investigations) to infiltrate his cat house and whisk the kitty away to a meowvalous home.
I wonder on what basis the shelter would charge him to retrieve his pet. One time our dog was lost for a day, overnight and part of the next day. A very bad time for us. We called the police, local shelters, our vet, all vets in the area, in addition to looking for him. We were told by the police if he did not have a county license (he did not), we would have to pay a fine if they found him and picked him up. Which we would have gladly paid. But cats are not required in our county to be licensed.
I know shelters have overhead and rely on funding and donations. But if an owner is not able to pay, what is the shelter going to do? Put the animal down? Or put it up for adoption? Instead of returning it to the owner?
I don’t agree with what this man did. He’s likely facing legal issues and fines much greater than his initial $132 to get his cat back.
Well,his actions were very extreme, he didn’t need to go that far. Although it WAS his cat to begin with, so it was HIS property (although I don’t really think of cats as “property”) so he had a right to take his cat without having to pay.
But he must not be a very responsible owner if his kitty is running around like a stray, If he didn’t have a collar or tags the shelter was doing their job of bringing in strays. If there was a tag to prove he was the owner, he shouldn’t have had to pay the fee.
Lots of missing information here – who really brought the cat to the shelter?
Many people don’t put collars/tags on their cats – and some that do have them, lose them. That’s why we chose to microchip. Lakoda hates collars, I lose mine all the time in the house. None of us are allowed outdoors anyway – but in case we ever escaped.
It sounds like the man was very angry when he found out his cat was taken – and then got madder at the fee to pick him up. $132.00 is a little extreme we think? If a dog is picked up in CT and spends the night at the shelter – his fee is $50.00
He was wrong to do what he did – but – he must really love his cat to go to such extremes?
yeah we understand overhead, but they did not render any services to make it that pricey. and not all blame goes to the owner. cats sneak out all the time. morgan is right, not enough info was given for a judgement call. however the baseball was a bit much. it does show how much he loves his kitty though.
Was his cat towed?