'I want her to be happy': Victoria cat owner responds to trespassing fine
Victoria cat owner Ramon Correa says he was stunned to receive a fine from the city after a neighbour complained about his cat trespassing on their property.
The neighbour had reported the cat, Narki, to Victoria Animal Control three times in about as many months.
The one-year-old cat was named after the word "cat" in Mapudungun, a Chilean Indigenous language.
The first time Narki was reported trespassing on the property, she was picked up by animal control officers until she was collected at the pound. After the third time, Correa received the $150 fine.
"The first time I was travelling, I was on my holidays, and my roommates had to go and rescue her," he says. "And then she did it again. But this time she didn't end up in jail. I just got the fine."
Narki the cat is pictured.
NEIGHBOUR'S CONCERNS
Victoria Animal Control told CTV News that the neighbour was concerned because the cat was seen around their chicken coop, and they feared for their birds' safety.
But Correa says Narki, who is just one year old, is too small to attack a chicken. He says she attacks mice sometimes, which are common in the area, but has never brought in any other type of animal.
"I'm not advocating for anybody else, just my cat," he says. "I want her to be happy. I love my cat, I love my animals, and she doesn’t hurt anybody. She's never dragged a chicken in, she's never dragged a bird or any other animal."
Correa says he uses a spray bottle filled with water to remove other neighbourhood cats from his property, and he wished that his neighbour would consider doing the same, instead of calling animal control.
He says he's not sure what the solution is, saying that some people support having outdoor cats while others are against it.
"It's about balance," he says. "You can't tell me after 15 years of being a cat owner that I can't have my cat running around all of a sudden."
If Narki continues to visit his neighbour's backyard, Victoria Animal Control says Correa may be on the hook for more $150 fines. The fines and penalties do not increase with each offense.
"Narki is really sweet. Anybody can pick her up," says Correa. "She brings joy and happiness to all my neighbours. Or most of my neighbours, I should say."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
2 military horses that broke free and ran loose across London are in serious condition
Two military horses that bolted and ran miles through the streets of London after being spooked by construction noise and tossing their riders were in a serious condition and required operations, a British government official said Thursday.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.
He replaced Mickey Mantle. Now baseball's oldest living major leaguer is turning 100
The oldest living former major leaguer, Art Schallock turns 100 on Thursday and is being celebrated in the Bay Area and beyond as the milestone approaches.
What a urologist wants you to know about male infertility
When opposite sex couples are trying and failing to get pregnant, the attention often focuses on the woman. That’s not always the case.
Made-in-Newfoundland vodka claims top prize at worldwide competition
A Newfoundland-made vodka has been named one of the world’s best by judges at this year’s World Vodka Awards.