B.C. care home takes cat from dementia patient, replaces it with robotic pet

Dawn Douglas just wants her cat back.

On Feb. 10, the 66-year-old woman with dementia was given permission to have her seven year-old Siamese cross therapy cat Snoop move into the Sunridge Place care home in Duncan.

But soon after the move, the care home took the cat and replaced it with a robotic stuffed animal.

“My sister had no idea where the cat was,” said Douglas’ sister Lisa, who added that the cat was told it would be taken for a bath.

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Douglas’ family insisted that they were told that the cat could live at the care home if they had proper documentation from a family doctor and a veterinarian. The family also agreed to be responsible for the cat’s hygiene and vet bills.

But staff removed the cat within a day of its arrival.

Adding to Douglas’ pain, Snoop was replaced with a simulated therapy cat with fake fur and a robotic purr.

“It’s insulting,” said Lisa Douglas. “It’s a stuffed mechanical cat.”

The care home said staff had no choice but to remove the cat.

“Currently at Sunridge we have a staff member whose health is at risk because of severe cat allergies,” read a statement from Sunridge.

“As an interim solution, arrangements were made for the cat to be re-homed while we work with the family to find a solution, including the introduction of a simulated therapy cat.”

Snoop is now living with Douglas’ son. The family is asking the Vancouver Island Health Authority to look into the issue.

• With files from Kylie Stantion and the Canadian Press