Kitnapping: Cat rescue charity offers $1,500 reward for feline stolen from NYC adoption event
Sprout reportedly stolen during Petco Love adoption event in Union Square
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A cat rescue nonprofit in New York is offering a $1,500 cash reward for the safe return of a kitten that was reportedly kidnapped from an adoption event in Manhattan over the weekend.
The Fabulous Feline, a 501(c)(3) based in Valley Stream on Long Island, is offering the reward after their cat, Sprout, was taken Sunday from a Petco Love adoption event in Union Square, according to local PIX11.
"It all happened so fast that I didn’t even realize it happened," Pat Irizarry told the outlet, noting that she and her partner attended the busy event with all of their cats securely locked in cages.
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"It wasn’t until two witnesses told me that I realized our kitten was stolen; someone had cut the zip ties and removed it from the cage," she said.
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A witness reportedly snapped a photo of the alleged pink-clad cat-napper, which is on the organization's Facebook page. Irizarry also filed a police report with the NYPD.
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"I was so upset, I wasn’t in the right state of mind," Irizarry told PIX11. "Sprout was only four months old, and I had hand-fed that kitten and watched over it. She was born from a litter of three kittens and only two survived; one of her siblings was stillborn."
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Irizarry explained to the outlet that her nonprofit is small and that she pays for many expenses herself while also relying on donations.
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The adoption fees for The Fabulous Feline's cats – all of which are microchipped, vaccinated and spayed or neutered – range from $125 to $200.
"I’ll meet you in a secure location, no cameras, no questions," Irizarry said when asked what she would say to the alleged cat thief.
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"I’ll verify it’s my kitten, and you can take the money," she added. "Had you told me you could not afford the adoption fee, I would’ve gladly walked you through the process of how to obtain an animal for free."