Cross-posted from cya on 16/8/2003 at 10:29:12 AM Posted by Heather Petit

On July 30 the Vernon & District Animal Care Society was phoned by a very upset man who said that his cat was injured - he thought one hind leg might be broken. Since he had no money for vet help he had phoned the SPCA to surrender his cat. Staff member Michelle Bird told him that the shelter was full and asked him to keep his cat for a few more days. She gave him VDACS number for emergency vet care. I told the man [ who didn't have a vehicle ]that I would come right away and take his cat to a vet. Just as I was rushing out the door, Michelle phoned to tell me that the man had thrown his cat and injured him and that this would have to be a cruelty investigation but she'd forgotten to get the man's name, address and phone number. I gave her that info and left to get the cat. After X-rays and surgery, the cat is recovering at a VDACS volunteer's home and one of our members is footing the bill. The vet, Dave Lemiski of the Vernon Vet Clinic, told me that the owner must have thrown his cat with incredible force. The cat was a healthy 1 1/2 year old but his tibia and fibula in one leg were fractured and the tendon torn.

As far as I know the Vernon SPCA has not followed up on this. I hope they are at least keeping the former owner's name on file and that he is prevented from adopting another cat. This cat was not adopted from the Vernon shelter but from a Vancouver Island cat rescue organization.

Re(1): Can you tell us how the SPCA knew that it was deliberate damage?
Posted on 16/8/2003 at 11:03:05 AM by Heather

The owner had told Michelle [who told me] that the cat had relieved himself in the laundry basket and he [owner] lost it and tossed him against the wall. The owner was distraught when he phoned me and was still crying when I picked up the cat. I felt sorry for him because he obviously has many problems and I think he loved his cat but, as Dr. Lemiski pointed out to me, wife beaters are always sorry too - after the fact - and they go on to do it again and again.
Michelle has worked at the shelter for a couple of years. In an article in our local paper, she is called the office manager. I would guess she's in her early twenties. Hollie Greig, the manager, is about the same age and has been with the SPCA for about the same amount of time. As far as I know, Hollie has never worked in the shelter with the animals. She has always worked in the office. Our Branch has no CAC so Robert Busch and Kim Evans are the only ones who can be contacted about this.