Police uncover more than 30 cats living on abandoned boat in mystery discovery
More than 30 cats and kittens were saved after being found 'malnourished and frightened' in an abandoned vessel by specialist marine units.
Tacoma police in the US had been alerted to an abandoned boat on Thursday morning (6 August) before then uncovering the animals roaming around freely inside.
Pictures show many of the cats living inside, surrounded by faeces, with some kittens also cowering together inside a box. Police said it required 'patience and care' to remove them, with many of the animals malnourished.
In a series of photos shared by the department, the cats appeared to be crammed in the dusty, abandoned boat. In another shot, dozens of carriers were seen being transported to the boat to collect them in a rescue that took two days.
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Since the boat was still privately owned, local animal control had to obtain a search warrant before officers could board to then rescue the animals. The rescued cats were then taken to the Tacoma-Pierce County Humane Society and an investigation was launched.
In a statement the following day, the Tacoma Police Department said: "On Thursday, August 6, our Marine Services Unit responded to reports of an abandoned boat in the waters off Owen Beach.
"What our officers found inside was unexpected: more than 30 cats and kittens living in unsafe conditions. Our Marine Services Unit officers immediately began coordinating with Animal Control and our Forensics Unit to safely rescue the animals.
"That mission continued today, and through a tremendous team effort, every cat and kitten is being safely removed from the boat.
"Many of the cats were frightened and malnourished, requiring patience, care, and a tremendous amount of teamwork from our members. They will be out there for most of the day continuing their mission, but we wanted to ensure we share this with our community as many have seen our members out on the water this morning.
"We’re proud of our Marine Services officers, Animal Control officers, and Forensic Technicians for their compassion and dedication—not only to the people they serve, but to every member of our community who needs a helping hand."
The Marine Services Unit was able to track down information about the boat’s owner, but they have not yet been traced and there have been no arrests made.
Speaking to the News Tribune, Tacoma police Public Information Officer John Correa said: "The best way I can describe it is it looked like a Studio Ghibli movie. It was their boat, and they were all out and about roaming around on it.”
James Holt