FINLAY IS BACK BUT HE HAS BEEN DAMAGED

On the 14th February 2022, Finlay was seized by the police without warning and we believe without justification. Yesterday at around 4:30pm he was returned to us. He was detained for four and half months and we, along with our legal team have been fighting as hard as possible for his return.

We are exhausted, emotionally traumatised and deeply upset by the conduct of the police, however it is now clear that Finlay too has suffered both physical and psychological damage at their hands. When he left he was in prime condition, his coat was perfect and so was his body condition. He has never had any illness of any kind throughout the entire period of our care.

However, yesterday we were handed a document by PC Richard Smith, the Officer in Charge from North Wales Police. The notes are extremely disturbing. They show Finlay has developed gastrointestinal issues and has had to have medication. It transpires that he was also shedding a lot which is a common response to extreme stress in animals. The notes also suggest that he has been over grooming and as a result the report states,’ His faecals became small, dark and very dry and when broken open were solid with hair’. The report goes on to say he was seen straining. It seems very clear that the extreme stress and boredom has resulted in overgrooming and a dangerously high ingestion of his own fur. Over grooming sadly occurs in so many zoo animals and is a coping mechanism to deal with the extreme captivity they feel. He never did this in our care. The notes we have, are very sadly evidence of psychological and physiological damage as a result of what has happened to him in his 4 and half month incarceration.

As you have all seen, we housed Finlay in a huge and naturalistic enclosure where he thrived under our care. He had that air of superiority that all happy, healthy cats have. Indeed some of you called him ‘King Finlay’. He was relaxed and at peace and living a stimulating life. The animal we got back yesterday is very different. Gone is the swagger, the confidence, the air of superiority. Instead he is nervous and anxious. We have never heard Finlay yowl before, but yesterday he yowled for hours and nothing we could do would stop him. He was inconsolable. It has had us in tears, it is heart breaking and the thought of what he has endured is almost too much to consider.

However as you all know Finlay is a fighter and we will do all we can to rebuild and fix him so he can be hopefully be happy again.

Throughout this tortuous 4 and half months, in our opinion the police have inflicted unnecessary suffering and cruelty on both Finlay and the people in our team who were looking after him. They have acted recklessly and without due care. The sheer incompetence and lack of compassion they have displayed is astonishing. It is likely that tens of thousands of pounds of tax payers money have been wasted by the police and the result of all that is a damaged cat that simply did not deserve this.

This cannot happen again to any animal (or the people caring for them) and everybody who has had a hand in causing this suffering needs to be held to account. As you all know, we are not afraid of giving a voice to the voiceless and we are more determined than ever to save the Scottish wildcat and also to get Finlay the Justice he deserves.

We are deeply upset, but extremely focussed, so more updates will follow very shortly. In the meantime, Finlay’s welfare is our absolute priority.

And just to clear up some of the misinformation that is floating about. Finlay has not been DNA tested, but more on that later. Beware the trolls, they will be out in force, but is a very sick minded individual indeed, who gloats over an animal’s suffering. Sadly such vile people exist.

Thanks as always.

The Wildcat Haven team and Finlay.