A St. Catharines resident confessed to trapping a neighbor’s cat and abandoning it in a remote area, yet he will face no criminal charges, authorities confirmed.
Niagara Regional Police concluded their investigation into the incident, involving a three-year-old black-and-white cat named Zeus, without filing charges. “The matter has been investigated and concluded and no charges have been laid,” stated Const. Jesse Vujasic in a release on April 23.
Zeus, who belongs to the Clout family, went missing on March 4 and was fortunately located near Church and McNab roads in rural Niagara-on-the-Lake on April 17. His discovery came after the Clouts conducted an extensive search around their home and the area where Zeus was eventually found.
The suspicion towards the neighbor began after the Clouts overheard a troubling conversation on April 10. “He mentioned he ‘got rid of’ a ‘big black and white cat,’” recounted Wendy Clout. After reporting the incident to the police, the case was referred to Provincial Animal Welfare Services (PAWS), who initially determined there was insufficient evidence to prove the cat belonged to the Clouts. However, a subsequent inquiry by The Lake Report into the matter led to the neighbor’s full confession.
Despite the confession, the legal outcome has left the family concerned about potential future incidents. “This is frustrating,” Wendy Clout expressed. “The guy is not facing any consequences to deter him. Does that give him permission to do it again?”
In response to an inquiry about whether abandoning an animal constituted a criminal offense, Const. Vujasic explained via email, “The investigation has determined that what was believed to be a stray cat was removed from the area. The owners have since followed up with the investigating officer to inform them that the cat has been recovered. This investigation does not meet the threshold for criminal charges.”
Relieved to have Zeus back home, the Clouts are taking extra precautions to ensure his safety, including the purchase of an AirTag collar to monitor his whereabouts. “We are going to try and keep him in the house as much as we can,” Wendy Clout stated, acknowledging the challenge given Zeus’s nature and the busy household dynamics.