Latest news with #PetAbductionAct2024
Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Man who didn't like neighbour's cat in his house dumped it five miles away
Tim Armstrong has now been sentenced under new legislation designed to protect pets A man among the first to be charged under a new petnapping law told a court he abducted and dumped a cat near a layby because he thought it was feral and agitating his pets. Tim Armstrong said he freed the feline five miles away from his house in Nash Street, Meopham, in an effort to 'protect his cats'. But the cat's disappearance prompted a Facebook appeal from its owners. The black cat, called Seal, was actually a rescue belonging to Corrie Fautley and her family, who lived nearby. Armstrong appeared before Medway Magistrates' Court where he pleaded guilty to taking the cat under a new offence introduced by the Pet Abduction Act 2024. Before sentencing, Victoria McGrady, prosecuting, explained the case would be difficult to sentence because there are no guidelines yet. The court heard the cat's disappearance had exhausted Ms Fautley who now feels she has lost 'a part of the family' as Seal has never been found. The prosecutor explained the pet was a rescue from Celia Hammond Animal Trust and had been with Ms Fautley for around four and a half years. She explained how on January 4, the owner realised Seal had not come home, which was out of character. After putting several Facebook posts appealing for help to find him, on January 15, her neighbour said her partner had spoken to Armstrong, who admitted 'he had dumped it' by driving to a layby in Fawkham five miles from his home and releasing it in adjacent woodland. He then provided images of the cat, which he sent to the neighbour's husband for confirmation. The court heard how Ms Fautley confronted Armstrong, 59, who is said to have kept repeating 'it's done now' to the cat owner. She then went to the police. A victim impact statement from Ms Fautley said: 'This cat is part of my family, and it feels like I have lost a part of my family. He would not be able to find his way back home.' She explained the upset the incident has caused to her family, adding: 'We have a lot of love for this cat.' The court heard Armstrong has no previous convictions and is a cat-owner himself who lives with his mother. Maneep Sahota, defending, explained how the incident had created a 'storm' on social media. She explained there was no doubt that the cat was placed away from its home but that the cat had 'for several months' been going into Armstrong's home through his cat flaps. The court heard Armstrong, 59, made inquiries with his neighbours to see if it was their cat, but they confirmed they did not know whose cat it was. She explained the presence of this third cat prompted Armstrong's two cats to become 'anxious and nervous'. Ms Sahota added: 'It was causing a disturbance to his own cats. He is not one that is cruel to pets. He thought it was a feral cat.' Magistrate Harry Bull, responded and asked whether he could have taken the cat to an animal centre. Ms Sahota said: 'There could have been a better way handle it. He is remorseful over it. 'When he was approached by the owner, he admitted he had taken the cat away deliberately. He was trying to protect his cats. He knows he did the wrong thing.' The court heard Armstrong has handwritten an apology letter to be given to Ms Fautley. Probation explained the cat had kept turning up in Armstrong's garden and over time had become more 'territorial' and was following his cats through the cat flap. Armstrong went to his bedroom and put Seal in a cat box and tried to find the owner, but when this wasn't a success, he decided to go to a field to 'set it free'. Before sentencing, the prosecutor asked the magistrates to consider the 'sadness' the abduction has caused and asked them to bear in mind how difficult it would be for the cat to find its way home. 'This is a relatively new offence but we need to take into account the loss for the family,' she added. Armstrong was given a community order of 40 hours of unpaid work to last for 12 months. He was also ordered to pay £100 compensation to the victim, as well as a victim surcharge of £114 and costs of £85.
Newsweek
24-06-2025
- Newsweek
Cat Goes Missing—10 Years Later, Family Discovers Where He Was Trapped
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. When black cat Magic vanished without a trace in 2015, his family were heartbroken. But a staggering ten years later they got a call revealing where he was trapped the entire time—before they were finally reunited. Laura Wells, who lives in the U.K. was just nine years old when her cat Magic went missing. "He was always the sweetest boy," she told Newsweek. "He loved cuddles, playing with ribbon, and sunbathing in the garden. When he disappeared, we were devastated." The family suspected he had been stolen, but lacked the proof to retrieve him. In the U.K., just like in the U.S., cats are legally considered property and any theft is covered by law in the same way as theft of any other property. Though in the U.K. the recently introduced Pet Abduction Act 2024 has created a specific criminal offence for the abduction of cats and dogs in England and Northern Ireland. Similarly, some U.S. states do have laws that specifically address the theft of animals. For example, recent legislative changes in California (Assembly Bill 1290) expanded the definition of "theft of a companion animal" to include animals beyond just dogs including cats. A picture of Magic before he went missing, left, and now he has returned home, right. A picture of Magic before he went missing, left, and now he has returned home, right. @whore4mybf/TikTok According to Shelter Animals Count, in 2024 59 percent of dogs and 62 percent of cats that entered shelters were strays, which includes animals that were lost by owners. Pet Radar estimates that there are 710,000 stray animals reunited with their owners each year—but the results for cats aren't as promising. Around 620,000 dogs were reunited with owners compared to just 90,000 cats. Read more Kitten rushed to $900 emergency vet visit—owner unprepared for diagnosis Kitten rushed to $900 emergency vet visit—owner unprepared for diagnosis The Wells family had been without Magic for a decade when earlier this year, something amazing happened. The family had a call from The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) animal charity. Magic had been found with a number of other cats in poor health, and when they scanned his microchip, it led them to the Wells family. "We never thought in a million years someone would steal him from a loving home to treat him so horribly," Wells said. "It didn't feel real when my mum got the call, they had scanned his microchip and called us right away. He had been missing for so long and due to us having other cats when they asked if we had a black cat we were confused thinking there was no way it was him." It was then they got confirmation: "They said his name is Magic, it didn't feel real but I was so relieved," Wells said. As soon as they could, the family rushed to pick him up, and were shocked by how he looked. "The first time I saw him I was so consumed by anger because he looked so ill, he was covered in scabs, was clearly malnourished, had lots of fur loss and had black teeth due to not having the right nutrition for years," Wells said. "He was so scared when we first walked in and saw him but as soon as he sniffed my hand he calmed down and started purring—I was so shocked he remembered me after all this time." Following a month of recovery filled with vet visits, nutritious meals, and cautious reintroduction to the home, Magic is thriving. His fur has grown back, he's gained healthy weight, and he's even returned to sunbathing—his favorite pastime. "He spends all his time rolling in the sun but still comes in for cuddles," Wells said. Wells shared a video of the incredible story to her TikTok account last week, explaining: "This is Magic, he went missing 10 years ago when he was 2 years old. He had been stolen and trapped in a house with 40 other cats." It amassed nearly 50,000 likes, as she called him "my little miracle." This isn't the first time a cat has returned after going missing. Another cat that went missing a year earlier was amazingly found in a nearby park by his owner. While another pet owner had been without their cat for five weeks when they heard an unusual thump at the door, only to find Calliope the cat on the other side. Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@ with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Irish Post
16-06-2025
- Irish Post
Organised crime suspected in livestock thefts in Northern Ireland
RECENT figures show that over 3,000 animals were reported stolen across Northern Ireland between 2019 and 2024. There is now a prevailing theory that organised crime could be involved. The vast majority of these thefts have been of livestock, particularly sheep and cattle, often from isolated rural areas like Causeway Coast and Glens. With livestock prices continuing to rise, the incentives for criminals have grown exponentially. Supt Johnston McDowell of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), who leads on rural and wildlife crime, stated that police have been collaborating with counterparts in the Republic of Ireland to address the issue, particularly where cross-border activity is suspected. 'Some of the cases clearly involve a high level of planning and resources, which suggests a link to organised crime,' he said. This assessment is echoed by the Ulster Farmers' Union (UFU). Spokesperson John McCleneghan said, 'When you see dozens of animals taken in one go, that's not opportunistic—that's crime in action.' One such case took place in January 2024, when 50 lambs were stolen in a single night from a farm near Derry. Farmer Dermot Mullan described the theft as a 'well-planned operation' that left his family devastated. 'They must have had a large trailer and known exactly what they were doing,' he said. The financial loss—estimated at nearly £10,000—was only part of the toll. 'It's affected our mental health too,' Mullan said, adding that his young sons had helped care for the lambs and felt the loss deeply. Livestock theft is still an expensive and enduring problem in Northern Ireland, even though the total cost of rural crime decreased by 9% in 2024, according to insurer NFU Mutual. The estimated cost of livestock theft in Britain and Northern Ireland last year was £3.4 million. Farmers have been advised by the PSNI to take preventative actions, such as keeping security systems up to date, locking gates and buildings at night, and making sure all animals are microchipped or tagged. A new law passed in 2024 has provided new legal tools to combat pet abduction, another type of animal theft, in the face of increased awareness of rural crime. The Pet Abduction Act 2024 establishes specific offences for the theft of dogs and cats, recognising their legal status as more than just property. The British government's Pet Theft Taskforce, which was established in response to a dramatic rise in pet thefts during the pandemic, made this law one of its main recommendations. Historically, pet theft was prosecuted under general theft laws, which failed to acknowledge the emotional harm caused to owners or the welfare of the animals. This was especially painful in cases involving working dogs such as gundogs, which can be worth thousands of pounds. 'Gundogs are not just tools; they are companions,' said a Countryside Alliance Ireland spokesperson, 'To have one stolen is not just a financial loss—it's deeply personal.' The new law allows courts to weigh emotional and psychological harm alongside monetary value, with sentencing powers of up to five years in prison and fines. While pet theft remains relatively low in Northern Ireland compared to Britain, the legislation has been welcomed as a strong deterrent. As both livestock theft and pet theft continue to challenge rural communities, better legal protections are more important than ever in tackling the shadow of organised crime in the countryside. See More: Johnston McDowell, Northern Ireland, PSNI, Pet Abduction Act, UFU
