Cat owners in North Saanich on high alert after disturbing note discovered

Sign threatens to trap cats in local neighbourhood A Saanich homeowner has apparently posted a sign saying they will be trapping cats that cross onto the property, leading to concern.

Saanich, B.C. — Cat owners in a North Saanich neighbourhood were on high alert Thursday after discovering a note left on their community mailbox on Ardmore Drive.

The note starts out by describing several cats in the neighbourhood that have allegedly been roaming on the note’s author’s property. It then goes on to say, “if you are the owner of these beasts, please be warned that we do not want them pooping in our yard or stalking birds.”

“We have set ‘Have a Heart’ traps throughout our property and if we catch any of these cats, we will not be taking them to the SPCA to be returned to you,” the note continues.

It finishes by saying: “So be a responsible pet owner, keep your cats at home.”

The note does not say what they are planning on doing with any cats that have been trapped.

Kaley Pugh is the BC SPCA Regional Manager of Cruelty Investigations for Vancouver Island. She says the organization is not currently investigating the case because at this point a crime has not been committed, but she is certainly concerned.

“While we can understand why people would be potentially not fond of other people’s cats in their yard, threatening the animals or doing something illegal or potentially not humane to deal with it is certainly not what we would recommend.”

She went on to say that if anyone knows who posted the note or has any information about anyone who has trapped a cat in a inhumane manner, they should call the BC SPCA’s cruelty hotline at 855-622-7722.