'We have been let down': 2 kittens allegedly stolen from pumpkin patch in Langley
The owners of a pumpkin patch in Langley are disappointed after a pair of seven-week-old kittens were reportedly stolen from their property.
Katie Brownlee, the operations manager at Aldor Acres Family Farm says one of the kittens was taken on Tuesday and the other one vanished last week.
“We have been let down. We feel disappointed, disrespected and hurt,” Brownlee told CTV News Vancouver in a phone interview.
Brownlee says her grandparents Albert and Dorothy, who have been running the farm for 33 years have built their business on “trust and respect.”
“It very much infuriated them,” says Brownlee. “To have someone come into our home and take a family member, they are our pets. They are our family.”
Browlee says the kittens were in secure enclosures and they were taken in the middle of the day.
“It happened during the day when there was lots of people around, so it’s not like a coyote could have gotten to them," she says.
She says Aldor Acres Family Farm prides itself on allowing visitors to interact with the animals, by getting to pet them and hold them. It’s something they now believe needs to be changed.
“There’s so much learning opportunity in having hands-on experience with animals,” Brownlee added. “People now won’t be able to freely hold our kittens, puppies or bunnies without a staff member present and we don’t have enough staff to stand at every pen, so parents won’t be able to have that same experience with their kids anymore.”
The kittens, which were from two different litters, also had their forever homes lined up.
“They were adopted out and were supposed to go to their homes this weekend,” Brownlee says.
Brownlee adds that while she hasn’t yet reported the incidents to BC SPCA or police, she hopes whoever took the kittens will be held accountable “in their own way.”
“I hope they know what they did wasn’t right,” she says. “It’s a disappointment not only for us but everyone else that comes here for that hands-on experience with animals.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Friday that Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
More than half the Canadians once detained in Syrian camps for suspected ISIS family members have returned home
A total of 29 Canadians have been freed from detention camps in northeast Syria and brought back to Canada since human rights advocates began lobbying for their release years ago.
Rare severe solar storm Friday could bring spectacular aurora light show across Canada
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.
Amish youth experience a rite of passage called Rumspringa. It’s not what you might think
The idea of “Rumspringa” has a specific spot in the American imagination. A rite of passage for young people in some Amish communities, Rumspringa is seen by most outsiders as a wild time away from strict Amish rules, when teenagers can experiment with the modern vices of the world.