Exotic cat found roaming around Vancouver is prohibited as a pet, city confirms
An exotic feline found prowling through Vancouver’s Shaughnessey neighbourhood is prohibited as a pet in the city, staff confirmed Friday.
The B.C. Conservation Officer Service was called to help police wrangle the wayward cat on Wednesday. At the time, conservation officers identified it as a savannah cat, a hybrid between a wild serval and a house cat.
The incident caught the attention of Carole Baskin, co-star of Netflix’s “Tiger King” documentary and owner of an exotic cat sanctuary, who posted on Twitter that the animal was actually a serval.
Dr. Sara Dubois, chief scientific officer at the BC SPCA, has seen servals in the wild and in captivity, and she agreed with Baskin’s assessment.
Whether it was a savannah or a serval, neither is allowed in Vancouver.
“It's definitely something concerning that an exotic cat that is illegal to possess in the city was returned to the owner,” said Dr. Dubois.
In an email to CTV News, the city wrote that under its Animal Control Bylaw, “felids are prohibited with the exception of domestic cats. A serval is considered a felid.”
When asked why the suspected serval was given back to the owner, the city said animal control officers were not present at the time, but that they are looking into the situation.
Adding to the confusion, it’s possible that the conservation officer did not know servals and savannahs are not allowed in Vancouver – because owning them is not prohibited by the province.
The BCCSO sent a tweet explaining that savannah cats are not part of B.C.’s Controlled Alien Species regulation, which bans 1,200 species in the province and requires a permit to possess, breed, ship or transport any of the animals.
In an email to CTV News, the Ministry of Forests wrote, “The animals initially prioritized for the Controlled Alien Species regulation list were those most likely to pose a potential threat to people, property, wildlife and wildlife habitat.”
Dr. Dubois said the list should also consider the risk that is posed to the exotic animal itself.
She said often times, servals end up in vet clinics with metabolic bone disease because cat food does not offer the proper nutrition to these wild animals.
“I think we need to have a bigger conversation and ensure that the province moves forward on the commitment to increase the Controlled Alien Species list to protect animals for their own welfare,” she said. “It is extremely challenging to keep these animals in any good condition in a private home. And so hopefully, the owner will recognize that we want to support them in actually getting this animal that life it deserves.”
The ministry said staff is undertaking a review of the regulation and no decision has been made at this time.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec man who threatened Trudeau, Legault online sentenced to 20 months in jail
A Quebec man who pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.
Two killed after collision with truck on Hwy. 417 near Limoges, Ont.
Ontario Provincial Police say two people were killed after a car and a transport truck collided in the westbound lanes of Highway 417 near Limoges, Ont. on Tuesday afternoon.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Premier Legault reiterates that McGill pro-Palestinian camp must be dismantled
Quebec Premier François Legault reiterated that the pro-Palestinian encampment at McGill University must be dismantled while police remain 'on the lookout for new developments.'
Houston braces for flooding to worsen in wake of storms
High waters flooded neighborhoods around Houston on Saturday following heavy rains that have already resulted in crews rescuing hundreds of people from homes, rooftops and roads engulfed in murky water.