Anyone who knows me knows that I am an advocate for animals, I am patriotic and a firm supporter of police, firemen and first responders. My loyalty to the police was shaken when I read the article in the Omaha World-Herald on October 4. I am not certain but I think that it had first been published in the Lincoln Journal Star, the day before.
It was reported that a companion declawed, neutered 10-year-old cat had slipped out the door when his owner, Michael Johnson had walked out to do some laundry last week. A neighbor later had spotted Neptune outside and took him to the Seward Police Department. When Michael realized Neptune was missing he began his search. He was unaware that his neighbor had picked him up, being new to the neighborhood they didn’t know that he had a cat named Neptune. He turned to social media hoping someone had posted him being found. Cross Creek Animal Health Center in Staplehurst posted a picture of Neptune asking if the cat belonged to anyone in the community. Contacting the animal center he was told they didn’t have his cat, but Neptune had been taken to the Seward Police Department, after being brought to them by his neighbor.
People are also reading…
When he spoke with the police about his missing cat, an officer told him that they had let Neptune “go” outside the city limits. Now let’s just stop for a moment. Let him go? Couldn’t you classify this as “dumping” an animal which is the same as abandonment of an animal and isn’t this against the law??? He was told that prior to letting this 10-year-old declawed, neutered cat “go” they did check for a microchip which unfortunately Neptune did not have.
Michael was informed that the officer said he didn’t have time to take Neptune to the local shelter, Blue River Pet Rescue, which is a very similar to York Adopt a Pet, their shelter being a nonprofit, no kill shelter that’s mission is to house, rehome and advocate for the animals. He DIDN’T HAVE TIME? But he did have time to dump Neptune outside of the city limits, he had time to drive to South Second Street near the Big Blue River just outside Seward before “dumping” him?
It’s just what they do, Michael said, describing what the officer had told him. It was written in the article that the Seward Police Department was contacted multiple times but did not make anybody available to comment.
This is just not right. I cannot put into words how wrong this officer was and if this is “just what they do” it needs to be addressed and this officer should be charged with animal abandonment. Nebraska revised statute section 28-1001 the penalties for cruelty in Nebraska. Included a fine up to $5,000 and or imprisonment up to 5 years.
I know that 99.9%% percent of police officers would do the right thing and I certainly stand behind them. This is one that makes the rest look bad.
The bottom line is that a well-cared-for and beloved elderly declawed, neutered cat was lost and the neighbor who found him, did the right thing, by turning to the police department. To think that this cat was taken to a riverbank and “dumped”, is unimaginable. Yes, he was dumped, not released, not relocated, he was dumped. Can you imagine how frightened and scared this cat must have been? Having 10 years of being a beloved well cared for indoor only to be dumped on a riverbank? No claws for protection, no food no water. Michael spent several nights at a campground near the Big Blue River in hope of finding Neptune – or thinking maybe Neptune would find him – but he had no luck. Now Johnson said the police acted like they did nothing wrong and offered no apology for the situation.
Now, Johnson just wants to make sure the story is heard so that such a blunder does not lead to other cats being “dumped”. Just take them to an animal shelter.
Two comments were published in the October 10th public pulse of the Omaha World-Herald that addressed their feelings that they both agreed what this police officer did was against the law and should be charged with animal abandonment which is under the law of animal cruelty.
We currently have two young cats that were recently dumped. Both had a better outcome than Neptune when good samaritans stepped in and stepped up to rescue them and get them to YAAP. They are safe and thriving, sadly we may never know about the fate of Neptune.
Lilly was rescued when a young woman saw a truck driver tossing this little sweetheart out of the window of a truck leaving Petro. She was able to grab little Lilly and brought her to York Adopt a Pet. Cory was rescued by a young man who was working at the eastbound I-80 rest area. He witnessed a car leaving when suddenly a passenger door was opened and he watched in horror as a black cat was tossed from the car. He was able to pick him up before he could run towards the oncoming traffic.
