Family’s Agony as Beloved Pet Cat Patrick is Euthanased by Bungling Council – Despite Being Microchipped and Registered
- A regional South Australian council has apologised for mistakenly euthanasing a family’s pet cat, Patrick, after it was mistaken for a feral cat.
- The Bengal cat was caught in early July and taken to a vet clinic, where it was scanned for a microchip but none was detected – despite the cat being both chipped and registered.
- The council’s CEO, Maree Wauchope, has described the incident as “devastating” and said it “should never have happened”.
- The family, who are still reeling from the shock, have been offered compensation of around $4,000, including the cost of the animal.
The Barunga West Council has been left red-faced after a shocking blunder saw a family’s beloved pet cat, Patrick, euthanased by mistake. The Bengal cat, described as “friendly” and “much-loved”, was caught in early July as part of a crackdown on feral cats in the Port Broughton area.
Despite being microchipped and registered, Patrick was taken to a vet clinic where “no identification was detected” – a fact that has left the council’s CEO, Maree Wauchope, “devastated”. “That cat was the beloved pet of the local policeman which was devastating and it’s quite obvious it should never have happened,” she said.
Ms Wauchope revealed that the owners had done everything right, including scanning Patrick for a microchip, but somehow the mistake still occurred. “The owners did everything right… they posted something on social media to alert the community that Patrick had gone missing, and they contacted the office of council straightaway,” she said.
In a heartbreaking development, the council has since revised its cat management policies, including reinstating its previous practice of seeking to rehome cats wherever possible. The council has also ceased outsourcing its compliance and cat management services, instead opting to manage them in-house.
Ms Wauchope has promised to make sure that the mistake is never repeated, saying “I’m not sure how the mistake has happened, but it has happened and I can’t reverse that but all I can do is apologise on behalf of council”. The family, who are still reeling from the shock, have been offered compensation of around $4,000, including the cost of the animal.
The incident has left the community stunned, with many calling for greater accountability from the council. As one resident noted, “It’s just shocking that something like this could happen. The council needs to take responsibility and make sure it never happens again”.
The family has decided to donate the $300 compensation they received to a local animal charity, saying “we just want to make sure that something good comes out of this tragedy”.