On August 6, the Tacoma Police Department’s Marine Services Unit responded to reports of an abandoned sailboat anchored off the shores of Tacoma, Washington.
But the boat was far from empty. When they climbed aboard, the officers found upwards of forty cats and kittens.
“Many of the cats were frightened and malnourished, requiring patience, care, and a tremendous amount of teamwork from our members,” the police department shared on Facebook.
“They will be out there for most of the day continuing their mission, but we wanted to ensure we share this with our community as many have seen our members out on the water this morning,” the post continued.
Courtesy of Tacoma Police Department
“We’re proud of our Marine Services officers, Animal Control officers, and Forensic Technicians for their compassion and dedication — not only to the people they serve, but to every member of our community who needs a helping hand.”
By the following afternoon, 31 of the cats had been gently corralled into cat carriers and transported by boat to the Humane Society for Tacoma and Pierce County.
“Unlike a normal case, we do need assistance with getting out there [by boat],” Cheri Page of the Tacoma Animal Control told KOMO News, a Washington outlet. “And then there’s the challenge of the boat itself, pretty close quarters, and because it is a sailboat there’s a lot of nooks and crannies for cats to hide in.”
Courtesy of Tacoma Police Department
Although many of the cats had fleas and lacked sanitary conditions, Page said that there were signs that a potential owner had been attempting to care for them.
“They have been clearly fed and watered, but they’ve been on that boat for some time,” she explained, noting that the cats had likely been living on the sailboat for months, if not longer.
One of the responding officers, John Correa, informed The News Tribune that the discovery had been quite the shock.
Courtesy of Tacoma Police Department
“The best way I can describe it is it looked like a Studio Ghibli movie,” Correa explained. “It was their boat, and they were all out and about roaming around on it.”
As of August 10, an investigation was still ongoing, and no arrests had yet been made. Correa told The News Tribune that their primary goal was to take care of the cats and ensure they were safe.
Courtesy of Tacoma Police Department
For Page, the incident is indicative of a larger problem.
“People start with just a few cats, and they’re not spayed or neutered, and unfortunately they do what cats do — and make more cats,” Page said. “That’s why at Tacoma Animal Control, we really emphasize that you spay and neuter your cats and dogs.”
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Featured Image: Courtesy of Tacoma Police Department
