Cats keep disappearing from a Welsh village and devastated owners spot a pattern
Cats keep disappearing from a Welsh village and devastated owners spot a pattern
Police are now investigating and owners have been urged to stay alert
13-year-old Sammy with his cat Ringo
(Image: Craig Beckerleg )
Cat owners in a Welsh village have been urged to stay alert after an unusual number of cats have gone missing . Around 10 cats have disappeared from Newtown in the past year, with most cases reported in recent months.
Local councillor Kelly Healy has noticed that there has become a pattern in the Garth Owen area of the Powys village. Although most cats have not been found, several have turned up in locations far away from the area from Shropshire to Aberystwyth. Dyfed-Powys Police have confirmed they are making enquiries to determine whether any offences have taken place.
Powys Animal Welfare has also been contacted by concerned owners across the area.
For 13-year-old Sammy Beckerleg, the disappearance of his cat Ringo still feels raw.
'It was like any other day,' he said. 'I had come back from my mum's and was at my dad's. I immediately asked where Ringo was and he said Ringo had been out since last night. I was concerned, but I knew Ringo always came back.'
But this time, Ringo didn't return.
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'It felt really hard without him coming into my room,' Sammy said. 'I missed his meows, him coming into my room - just everything about him really.'
It wasn't until two months later, just before Christmas, that Sammy's dad had got the news to say Ringo had been found in Shrewsbury by a cat rescue charity in Shrewsbury. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here
'I started crying of happiness as soon as I heard him say that,' he said. 'The next day, I went to see him. I was so, so happy that he was alive and okay.'
Ringo was away for six weeks altogether.
Craig Beckerleg added: 'We had CCTV of him on the 17th October and that was the last we'd seen of him until 23rd December.
'We do think someone is taking them but we've reported the issue so will just have to see what happens.
'It was really difficult when Ringo went missing and it was especially hard for Sammy.
'Thankfully Ringo's behaviour is the exact same. He was a bit timid for the first week or so but he's so friendly and seems ok.
'But we also think because he was crying so much trying to find out where we were as he's not got the same, loud meow.'
Discussing the issue, Kelly Healy said: 'It's been really upsetting for people in the area.
'There is one lady who has lost three cats from the same household and says she couldn't get another one now because of what's been happening.
'I've never heard of anything like this happening around here, and I ran a cat rescue for seven years and we never had cats vanish like this.
'We saw dreadful things but no weird stuff like this.'
Kelly is urging people in the community to remain extra cautious at this time, noting: 'Definitely microchip your cats, and make sure they are neutered as this can stop them from sometimes wandering off.
'And if you've lost a cat, contact me.'
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A spokesperson for Dydfed Powys Police told WalesOnline: ''We have received two reports raising concerns about missing cats in the Garth Owen area of Newtown.
'Enquiries are ongoing to establish if a criminal offence has occurred.'
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