Staff at Oasis Animal Rescue, on Simcoe St. N., Oshawa, were shocked on Tuesday when two women appeared to carry out their threat of dumping their unwanted cat in a back street alley – deliberately adding to the problem of homeless pets roaming Oshawa streets.

“This is a too-common problem,” says Janet Smith, Executive Director at Oasis Animal Rescue And Education Center. “We do everything we can to help people when they are no longer able or want to care for their pets. Dumping unwanted pets on the street is unacceptable and cruel and this type of behaviour, from two women who were evidently not ‘down on their luck’ and had another option is ridiculous.”

The mother and daughter pair had entered Oasis Animal Rescue asking staff to take their unwanted male tabby cat off of their hands. They claimed to have visited other animal services organizations in Durham and that no one would help – and now they were fed up.

“Our staff informed the women that Oasis was unable to take their cat immediately but if they could wait an hour or so, we’d try to urgently find a foster home or another solution,” says Janet. “Unlike a shelter, the animals we rescue are housed in foster homes not on the premises. We rely on tremendous support from volunteer pet foster carers and so we have procedures we must follow.”

A one hour wait to make arrangements to take their unwanted pet off their hands wasn’t good enough.

“The women became aggressive, rude and demanding,” continues Janet. “They stormed out of our office, shouting at staff and threatening to dump the cat. Then that’s just what they did!

“With the cat in the carrier, the women walked into the alley then returned with the empty carrier and drove off in their Chevy SUV. Our staff went immediately to retrieve the cat but were unsuccessful in capturing it. Traumatized and stressed it would have hidden immediately, but we’re still hoping to rescue it and get it off Oshawa’s downtown streets. We also think it may have recently had a veterinary procedure as a part of the body had been shaved.”

Abandoning an unwanted pet to the streets is irresponsible when there are services in our community like Oasis Animal Rescue who will help the owner find a good solution.

“We rely on donations and volunteers,” says Janet. “It costs a lot of money for vet bills, pet food and dedicated volunteer hours to care for and re-home rescue animals. We can’t afford to be a pet dumping-ground. Unfortunately there are irresponsible people, like these two women, who feel it’s alright to treat their pets as disposable, our community with disrespect and our staff with disdain.

Dumping animals on the streets can be dangerous for everyone and if caught you could find yourself facing charges or in more serious trouble.

“It’s a shame these women did what they did,” says Janet. “We feel compelled to file a report with the authorities and hopefully they’ll be found and taken to task for their actions.”

If you happen to see a stray tabby cat in the Simcoe St. North area of Oshawa, please contact Oasis Animal Rescue and Education Center.