Owner of Fuzz, the malnourished cat euthanized last month, charged under Animal Protection Act

HALIFAX – The owner of “Fuzz” the cat, who was brought to a vet and euthanized last month, has been charged under the Animal Protection Act.

Fuzz was brought to the Lady Hammond Animal Hospital on September 13, very ill and in bad physical shape.

Kim Jenkins, owner of the cat, has been charged with failing to provide the animal with adequate medical attention when the animal was wounded or ill and issued a ticket for $406.45.

“We took the cat to the Department of Agriculture and had a necropsy performed, and, based on the results of the necropsy and our findings, we decided that it was appropriate to charge the owner,” said Jo Anne Landsburg, Chief Provincial Inspector of the NS SPCA.

Kara Jenkins, daughter of Kim, made a public plea for her cat after not having seen him for a while.

Sarah Fraser admitted on Facebook to having brought Fuzz to the vet and that the cat had been euthanized shortly after.

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The SPCA launched an investigation into the matter.

READ MORE: Halifax woman upset after her cat was mistakenly euthanized

“I decided the most humane thing to do would be to euthanize the cat,” Fraser wrote in a post on Facebook, explaining her decision.

The post explained that Fraser believed Fuzz was a stray, and that she brought the cat to the veterinarian out of concern for her health and safety.

Today, Fraser said she was feeling  “very vindicated” by the process. “There was a lot of doubt, I think before, and, if anything, this really proves what terrible condition the cat was really in and that the right decisions were made,” said Fraser, who added that, since Global News broke the story last month, her family has received threats of physical harm.

In September, the veterinarian who examined the cat said it was in very bad shape. “It was very malnourished, had matted fur all over the body, high grade heart murmur, open-mouthed breathing, extremely emaciated and dehydrated, gingival bleeding with many rotten teeth,” Dr. Umer Khan of the Lady Hammond Animal Hospital told Global News in September.

After further examination, Dr. Khan said the cat was in extreme pain, and eventually it was recommended that the cat be put down, a decision that Kara Jenkins did not agree with.

“We should have been responsible to make that decision, not a stranger,” Kara Jenkins said in September. “I think there needs to be some sort of justice served.”

Halifax Regional Police also launched an investigation into the matter, but they concluded their investigation and didn’t lay any charges.

If you find an animal in need of care, The NS SPCA asks that you contact them at 1 (888) 703-7722.

With files from Steve Silva.