THUNDER BAY -- Jeremy Gardiner isn’t sure what possessed someone to fill a large carrying crate with 16 adult cats and seven kittens and dump them in a north-side park. But he’s going to do his best to find out.

THUNDER BAY -- Jeremy Gardiner isn’t sure what possessed someone to fill a large carrying crate with 16 adult cats and seven kittens and dump them in a north-side park.

But he’s going to do his best to find out.



Gardiner, an agent with the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the Thunder Bay District Humane Society, said the cats were discovered on Tuesday, crammed inside the crate, left in Wilson Park off Algoma Street.



“Unfortunately one of the kittens was deceased already and one had to be euthanized, humanely, this morning for an eye issue,” Gardiner said.



While it’s a lot of animals, it’s not unusual, he said.



“Unfortunately these things happen all the time. Nothing really surprises me anymore. But the small size of the crate – it was a dog crate with 23 animals jammed into one crate. There was no water and they were covered with a blanket,” Gardiner said.



“Fortunately someone did come along and find them before they passed away.”



Gardiner said the perpetrator, if discovered, could face hefty fines and/or jail time, in light of the fact one of the animals died before their presence was reported to the city’s animal services department.

How long they’d been there is anyone’s guess, he said.



“We’re still trying to determine that. One did pass away, so once we get a necropsy done we can find out how long they’d been there. Hopefully we can figure that out.”



Because of the busy nature of the area, located adjacent to a number of businesses, Gardiner is confident someone saw something, or can identify the owner of the crate.



“There are a lot of people who come in and out of there, so someone must have seen something, when someone is dropping off a dog crate of that size.”



Gardiner also wanted to remind the public they have other options when trying to dispose of unwanted domestic animals.



The Humane Society will take them in, though there are surrender fees that must be paid. There are also a number of rescues in Thunder Bay that will also house unwanted cats and dogs.



“Abandoning your animals is never an option,” said senior inspector Lynn Michaud of the Ontario SPCA.



Anyone with information is asked to phone 310-7722.

