26 February 2013

Cat drowned in lobster trap in Waitemata Harbour

A ginger and white cat found drowned in Waitemata Harbour on Sunday appears to have been first lured into a makeshift lobster trap and then dumped in the water to die.

The cat’s body was discovered floating in the trap beneath Auckland Harbour Bridge by members of the Royal NZ Yacht Squadron who were taking part in the Harken Youth International Match Racing Championships. The cat and the trap were fished from the water by RNZYS Youth Training Programme Coach Guy Pilkington, and Danielle Bowater, who alerted SPCA Auckland.

“The people from RNZYS brought the dead cat ashore at Westhaven Marina where I examined it,” says SPCA Inspector Matt Dingle.

“The cat was inside a cylindrical plastic trap about a metre or so long with a very small opening at one end. There was a blue food bowl inside the trap with the cat, which suggests to me that someone lured the cat inside and then disposed of it in the harbour.”

The cat, whose sex is yet to be determined, was examined by the SPCA Auckland Vet Manager Shalsee Vigeant who confirmed that the cat had died by drowning.

“It is a very sad and inhumane way for any animal to die,” says Dr Vigeant.

SPCA Auckland CEO Christine Kalin is determined to find who is responsible for the drowning.

“This is an appalling act of animal cruelty. We need to find the culprit quickly and seek justice for this innocent animal,” says Ms Kalin. “This cat may have been someone’s beloved pet or it may have been a stray but either way the person who killed it has committed a crime.

“We are appealing to members of the public to call us with any information that might lead to the arrest of the offender. If you have seen someone throwing something that looked like this trap into the harbour, or have any other information, please call us on 09 256 7300.

SPCA Auckland is empowered under the Animal Welfare Act 1999 to protect all animals from abuse, neglect, and abandonment, and to prosecute people who break this law. To report such cases, please phone 09 256 7300.

ENDS

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