This all started Friday morning around 8 am. Buddy the cat got out as my neighbour, Dee Webb, his owner, answered the door to hersister. He bolted in fear and scurried up a tree. Dee and myself tried to climb up to him but there was no way since the tree is pretty much dead and all the lower branches have broken off. Our neighbours and most of the street have tried, including cutting away the prickly brush around the tree with a machete, putting up a ladder many times to try to reach Buddy. Theladder was too short. So Dee has spent the last few days outside camping by the tree hoping to coax Buddy
down.
Many, many calls were made to the SPCA to try to get them to help right from the start of this. They stated that they would have to wait 7 days before they would get Buddy out of the tree. In the meantime some kids have pelted rocks at the poor cat. I thought he was injured badly and called the SPCA Sunday night and left a message.
The call was returned and I spoke to a lady named Janice who assured me a Constable would be by to assess the situation. Constable Webster arrived around 9 am on Monday morning and spoke with Dee who was still out by the tree. He never got out of his truck. He stated to Dee, We can't help you. He also said she had to pay for a treetopper to get Buddy, that it was not his problem. Then Dee said Go, you are no use to me, go.
He then said to Dee he didn't have to put up with this bullshit, and she said what bullshit? He said you have to get a treetopper, it's going to cost you 500 bucks, why should we have to pay for it?
He then states if the cat was not out of the tree by midnight he would fine her $500 for allowing the cat to be in the tree.
He also stated he wanted to fine me for making a false report of injury to the animal. Dee then said, "I thought you were the SPCA, you prevent cruelty to animals, and I think what you guys are doing is cruel. And then she walked away.
The true owner of Buddy is a 12 year old boy, Dee's son, who has spent the major part of the last few days crying. Today, Monday, a worker with Telus who had a cherry picker, tried to reach Buddy but it was too short as Buddy has climbed up from where he had been. It was nice to see someone had a heart.
So over the last few days we have tried all kinds of things. But when I spoke to Janice again to get the Constable's name she told me that the owner had done nothing to try to rescue the cat, but noone actually asked if anything was tried. Dee does not have the money to hire someone to get Buddy down. Mainly it has been kind hearted neighbours trying to help.
Anyway, in a little while SPCA Constable Green will be coming to see if Buddy is down. If not, they will get him down....reluctantly. I'm sure they will be sending a bill to Dee or worse trying to take Buddy from her...
Lisa