A missing tabby cat, an association in liquidation, and more rumours: Alice Springs Animal Shelter back in the spotlight
Rangers are searching for a tabby cat that escaped its enclosure during a Northern Territory animal shelter break-in.
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A tabby cat is on the loose in Alice Springs after escaping its enclosure at Alice Springs Animal Shelter during a break-in.
In the wake of the incident, Alice Springs Town Council has dismissed rumours of animal mistreatment under its watch.
The incident is the latest in an ongoing saga, with the council forced to step in and take over after the shelter’s previous management went into liquidation.
Administrators recently cleared the previous committee of any wrongdoing.
In a statement on Facebook, the council confirmed there was a break-in at the shelter – “but no animals were harmed”.
“Some padlocks were broken which resulted in some animals later leaving their enclosures, but they are now safely returned, except for one tabby cat for which search efforts are currently underway,” the statement said.
“Council has already bolstered security to prevent future incidents, and is investigating further security measures going forward.
“In the meantime, we are happy to report no animals have come to harm, and are eagerly anticipating the safe return of the remaining runaway cat.”
It’s not the first time rumours circulated online of animal mistreatment at the now-council run shelter, which went into administration in July.
Just days after the council took over the shelter, a rumour spread online that animals were being euthanised en masse.
It was partly true.
The council confirmed a number of dogs had been put down – because they had canine parvovirus – alongside a number of stray cats.
All animals were put down in accordance with “professional advice”, the council said at the time.
Before entering administration, the shelter was run by the Alice Springs Animal Shelter association.
Rodgers Reidy administrator Stuart Reid said the former association was placed into liquidation at the latest creditors meeting on August 20.
The association is now being wound up, and will be deregistered once the winding up process was complete, Mr Reid said.
“We have not discovered any wrongdoing by the current committee members,” he said.
Mr Reid said none of the rumours around the shelter had been put to him.
The council said on Friday the Tabby cat was yet to be located, but the “ranger team are on the case”.
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