NORTH FORT MYERS, Fla. — Angela Tardif’s search for her missing cat Kevin ended in heartbreak after he was euthanized just hours after being brought to Lee County Domestic Animal Services.
Kevin, a 4-year-old indoor cat, slipped out unnoticed on Thursday afternoon. A neighbor found him and took him to the shelter. Tardif rushed there on Friday, hopeful to bring her cat home.
“I brought his cage and his blanket, thinking I was bringing him home,” she said. But when she arrived, Kevin had already been euthanized.
“I was shocked because he was perfectly healthy,” Tardif added. She said Kevin was put down two hours after arriving. The shelter said Kevin had no identification and noted he had a damaged eye and matted fur—old injuries from when he was a kitten. Shelter documents show Kevin was neutered.
“I’ve raised him since he was two weeks old,” Tardif said. “Now our other cat is meowing, looking for him. It’s heartbreaking. My kids miss him. It’s terrible.”
Kevin was not microchipped. Tardif believes this should not have led to his death.
“I shouldn’t have to fear for my pet’s life because they don’t have a microchip,” she said.
Lee County Domestic Animal Services stresses the importance of microchipping pets to help reunite them with their owners. The agency scans for microchips immediately when animals arrive.
According to Lee County rules, microchipped pets or those with identification must be held for five days to allow owners time to claim them. Dogs without microchips are held for three days. Cats without identification have no mandatory hold period and can be quickly adopted, transferred, or euthanized if deemed unadoptable.
Gulf Coast News has contacted Lee County to clarify the shelter’s policies on how long pets must be held before euthanasia. This story will be updated when more information is received.
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