Saint John police investigating discovery of dead cats

Saint John police say an investigation is underway after 14 cats were discovered in a dog crate outside a home on the city's west side, with only one of them surviving the ordeal.

The cats were found on Fridaypiled in the crate on ReadyStreetwithout any food or water.

Melody McElman, thepresident of the Saint John SPCA, said the cagewas partially concealed.

"They were in the kennel, in the earth, wrapped in a garbage bag and covered in bushes," McElman said.

"This is extreme, horrendous cruelty at its highest. Those cats literally cooked to death in all that extreme heat."

Six catsperished in the crate, while the remaining eight were taken to a cityveterinary hospital. All but one had to beeuthanized.

"She's doing well," McElman said of the surviving cat.

"She's under a year old, she's still at the veterinary office and we're hopeful, we thought we'd give her a name and call her Fanceen because that stands for 'to be free.'

"She's eating, she's very calm and very sweet. Cats and animals know when they've been rescued and they're very grateful."

No city bylaw for cats

The SPCA handles dog control for the City of Saint John, but its $80,000-per-year-contract only managesemergency services for cats that are injured or near death.

McElman said tougher laws are needed for animal control and animal protection.

"Animal cruelty laws across Canada have been neglected the last 100 years," she said.

"Government officials, theveterinary community, animal professionals and animal shelters, we need to come to the table for a solution because current bylaws need to be changed and perpetrators need harsher penalties for these crimes."

The Saint John SPCA is filled tocapacitywith homelesscats, but McElman says the abandoned cats could have been placed in emergency foster care or taken in by another rescue organization in the city.

"There are many groups of people that have the best intentions in wanting to rescue animals and do a fantastic job, but the shelter has the infrastructure," she said.

"We can get the medication, we can get the care, anyone of us would have reached out and helped."