Image Credit: BC SPCA

By Ashley Legassic

SERVAL CATS

Little Fort breeders won’t have serval cats returned to them

Oct 8, 2019 | 4:31 AM

LITTLE FORT, B.C. — Two Little Fort residents who had more than a dozen serval cats seized from their property will not be getting their animals back.

In a decision released last month, the BC Farm Industry Review Board said 13 serval cats, two dogs and one domestic cat were seized from the property where Nisha Bhasin and Cameron Churchill resided.

The seizure and investigation stemmed from a complaint to the BC SPCA in May 2018. The complainant stated they had bought a serval cat from Bhasin and Churchill, but after taking the kitten to the veterinarian, the complainant was told the kitten had a broken pelvis, two broken legs, and an issue with the sternum that was “likely from over-breeding”.

“The veterinarian recommended euthanasia,” the decision stated. “The complainant stated that the Appellants took the kitten back offering to replace it with another kitten which the complainant declined.”

A special provincial constable, along with an RCMP constable attended Bhasin and Churchill’s property in June and saw two large serval cats. According to the decision, Churchill initially denied there were servals on the property but when asked if the animals in the windows were servals, he said yes. He denied the special provincial constable’s request to inspect the animals.

Question of the Week

Were you surprised by the City of Kamloops AAP voting result?

4h ago

Sound Off

SOUND OFF: Red Bridge could rise from the ashes, literally - here's how

9h ago

One Man's Opinion

COLLINS: Set aside some time this week to follow some heavy duty stories

Sep 22, 2024

The special provincial constable attended the next day and “issued a Notice to the Appellants to address the poor ventilation, high ammonia levels, lack of space and lack of exercise, and to require that they provide veterinary records.”

In August of 2018, Churchill told the special constable that the two servals had been sold and they would no longer be breeding them. Churchill provided the constable with the owner’s contact information, but officials were not able to locate or contact the new owners.

In April of this year, the special constable received records from Ontario and Kamloops veterinary clinics where servals had been brought in for exams.

“In addition to the records about the kitten that initiated the complaint, the records included a history going back to April 2015 indicating health issues or injuries to 5 serval kittens in the care of Ms. Bhasin,” the decision stated.

In the months leading up to the June seizure, the special constable was in contact both in person and over the phone with Bhasin and Churchill several times.

On July 4, Bhasin and Churchill requested a review by BC SPCA chief prevention and enforcement officer Marcie Moriarty of the decision to seize their animals, disputing the grounds for seizure, and requesting the return of their 13 serval cats, two dogs, and domestic cat.

At the end of July, Moriarty issued her review decision in which she stated it was appropriate to take the animals into custody.

“Ms. Moriarty noted that while the Appellants put forward a 9-point plan to accommodate the needs of the servals, their history with the Society demonstrates that they are unlikely to complete the work,” the decision stated. “With regards to the return of the dogs and domestic cat, Ms. Moriarty found that the Appellants’ submissions did not make any mention of the domestic cat, and only mentioned the dogs as an afterthought, saying that they would live in the shed on the property.”

The veterinary exams on the dogs and domestic cat found all three animals to be in relatively good health, but Moriarty noted the dogs demonstrated “significant fearful behaviour”.

Bhasin and Churchill filed their appeal with the BC Farm Industry Review Board on Aug. 1. The review board has denied the appeal, stating that the serval cats were in distress, that their removal was appropriate, and that it’s likely their living conditions would not improve.

The SPCA is allowed to “destroy, sell, or otherwise dispose of” the serval cats along with the two dogs.

The domestic cat will be returned to Churchill and Bhasin if they pay just over $1,100 within two days of the decision — although it’s not clear if the payment was made.

“Upon payment of the sum of $1,121.40, I confirm that the Appellants remain liable to the Society for the balance of their costs incurred to the date of the release of this decision, in the amount of $13,211.95,” the decision stated.