by Geoff Fox
Over the last few weeks, there has been a number of cats being poisoned in Hancock and now the Humane Society of Washington County has begun looking into them.
The Humane Society Field Services is currently looking to several reports of deceased cats found in the area of Jackson Street, Washington Street, and Virginia Avenue in Hancock.
The Humane Society is asking residents in that area to check their owned cats and monitor them closely.
They said in a social media post if your cat has experienced a recent onset of symptoms that include loss of appetite, vomiting, drooling, diarrhea, lethargy or weakness, tremors or seizures, or excessive drinking or urination to contact your veterinarian immediately for evaluation and care.
“If your cat is found deceased, please do not dispose of the body,” the Humane Society said.
If it can be done safely, the Humane Society advised to avoid unnecessary handling, wear gloves if the animal must be moved, and contact them immediately so they can provide guidance and determine whether the animal should be examined as part of the investigation.
They are also asking for the community’s assistance in reporting and suspicious activity that may involve the heath or well-being of cats in the affected area.
Photo by Linda Smith.
If you have any information that may assist with the investigation, contact HSWC Field Services at 240-707-3082 during normal business hours or by email at [email protected].
Hancock Police are not involved in the investigation.
The Hancock News reached out to the Humane Society and their Field Services for more information, however they did not respond to emails by press time.
On Monday, July 13, one of the TNR (trap, neuter, release) cats Linda Smith has been taking care of the last six years was found dead and presumed to have been poisoned.
In a social media post, Smith said the Humane Society had come and picked it up.
She said the Humane Society told her the number of cats they’ve picked up has been in the low 20s found in the Jackson Street, Washington Street, and Virginia Avenue area.
“Who knows how many more strays not accounted for,” she said in the post.
In a text message conversation with The Hancock News, Smith said Stoners Florists has been taking care of several cats on that end of Washington Street and Jackson Street has a lot as well.
Smith said Stoners has lost four cats from around the shop.
The Humane Society had been contacted prior to the recent cat deaths and the area was put on a list for someone to try and do trap, neuter and release with the cats that are running around.
“With help from friends we had all the cats in the west end of Washington Street TNR’d but two new ones,” Smith said.
She added if a cat is trapped and neutered, they have to be released back to the area of the colony, unless it’s well behaved and can be put up for adoption. Most strays, if wild, can’t.
Cats that have been neutered, Smith said, would have a clipped/tipped ear to identify it.
The Humane Society has been back to check the place where some of the places where cats were found, which Smith said tells her it wasn’t a sickness as some people are saying “because they were checking locations.”
One of the cats from Stoners that had died had a powdery, almost dusty looking substance all over its face, Smith said.
Another person Smith talked to said two of their cats looked the same with the same substance on their face.
“All these cats were healthy, no signs of illness the day before they were found,” she said.
