FINLAY UPDATE- PHYSICAL AND MENTAL TRAUMA CONFIRMED BY VET CHECK

First of all many thanks for the thousands of messages of support, it means the world to us. This is an exceptionally traumatic experience for us and it clearly is for you all as well.

Finlay was seized and detained, in our opinion without due cause or reason by the North Wales Police. He was detained at an undisclosed location for four and a half months until his return on Tuesday evening this week. He left us in prime physical condition and we hoped he would have been treated with due care and respect and returned in the same condition.

However, it is clear that Finlay has experienced serious physiological and psychological trauma at the hands of his captors. We briefly highlighted our welfare concerns in Wednesdays post. As we have now had the chance to observe and assess him, our concerns have grown. He used to have a fantastic appetite and now he is refusing food. The full extent of the deterioration of his body condition is also now apparent. We were so concerned that we called out an independent vet from out of the area (for obvious reasons), to see him yesterday. Our fears and concerns have been confirmed.

These are some of the notes provided by the vet,:

'At my general clinical examination, the cat appears underweight, with palpable ribs and bones, with reduced muscle masses if compared to a normal 20 months old male cat. The cat appears continuously and interruptedly self-grooming, hair is disomogeneous and hairs can be easily be broken/pulled off'. 

This assessment is unambiguous and highlights the severe stress and trauma Finlay has endured. The vet said that his body condition was similar to that of an elderly 18 year old cat. Finlay is less than 2 years old. You can now clearly see and feel his ribcage and shoulder bones. Where once there was muscle, that muscle coverage has gone. The abnormal behaviour of over grooming is very obvious and almost continuous. It’s clearly a coping mechanism that Finlay has developed in response to stress caused by restrictive captivity. Also remember that that the government project ironically called ‘Saving wildcats’, have taken wildcats from the wild to be put in zoos. Their suffering must be equally severe.

We were assured by the police that Finlay was receiving specialist care. Such mental and physical deterioration in 4 and a half months, does not suggest specialist care. It suggests abuse. The police also told us numerous times that Finlay was being kept in a naturalistic enclosure. However, notes provided to us by the police, show that he was kept in an enclosure with a mulch floor. He didn’t even have grass under his feet. He was taken from an expansive, natural and stimulating environment to one that clearly didn’t meet his needs. 

The welfare of animals in the UK, is protected by the Animal Welfare Act 2006 which makes it an offence to cause unnecessary suffering to any animal. The Act also contains a duty of care to animals - anyone responsible for an animal must take reasonable steps to make sure the animal's welfare needs are met.

The evidence we have suggests that there has been a breach of the Animal Welfare Act. There is absolutely no doubt that Finlay has been subject to unnecessary suffering and his needs have clearly not been met. The picture that accompanies this post is the meat I was given by PC Richard Smith. It was apparently horse meat and it was what Finlay had been being fed. PC Smith suggested I fed it to him that evening. It was rancid, discoloured and we certainly weren’t going to feed it to Finlay. Looks more like faeces than food. Gives a disturbing insight in the ‘specialist’ care Finlay has been provided with.

Our immediate priority is Finlay’s survival. Some of you have commented that the police returned Finlay when they did, because they didn’t want him to die in their custody. Perhaps there is some truth in that. At least we have him now and he will get all our energy and care to make sure that he pulls through and becomes the magnificent animal he once was. His spirit has been crushed but we will build him back up and we know Finlay will fight hard to survive. We cannot comprehend how this has be allowed to happen and we know you share our disbelief.

So many of you have asked who to contact and who is responsible. Well as Finlay was seized and detained by the North Wales Police, we can only suggest contacting the North Wales Police commissioner.

His name is Andy Dunbobbin and contact details are publicly available at this website:

https://www.northwales-pcc.gov.uk/contact-us

What has happened to Finlay is just not acceptable and should never be allowed to happen to any other animal again.

We will keep you posted.

Thanks so much for helping us give a voice to the voiceless.

The Wildcat Haven team and Finlay.