Hello Everyone,
Recently there was a post on Pet Talk from K & L regarding Tom Brooklyn--a feral cat that was euthanized but lived, then placed in a freezer to freeze to death. He survived despite being frozen alive. Our organization was contacted by hundreds of members to save Tom from another attempt at euthanasia. After deliberations with the city of Brooklyn, Tom was turned over to our care.
We received so many hits and emails to Tom's website, Tom.WorldAnimalFoundation.com, from the post on Pet Talk that I wanted to jump in and thank everyone for your concern. We were happy to help and hope that his story (that has now received international attention) will help save other ferals from what was almost Tom's fate.
For updates on Tom's progress and to learn more about effective alternatives to euthanizing feral cats, please visit:
Tom.WorldAnimalFoundation.com
If you missed the original info on Tom I'll post it below.
Thanks again,
Gary M. Barnby, President
World Animal Foundation
WorldAnimalFoundation.com
He captured the heart of the nation, and the world. A feral cat from the small city of Brooklyn, Ohio who survived on the streets for years, fought the poison administered to euthanize him, and even survived being frozen (alive) in a bag in a freezer.
Animal Warden Allegedly Left Live Cat For Dead In Freezer
In a desperate struggle to survive, the cat now known as Tom Brooklyn fought off the chemicals administered to euthanize him and survived being frozen alive.
On July 9th Mayor Ken Patton of Brooklyn, Ohio said his safety director, Mike Gallagher received a call from the city service department. An employee reported discovering something very strange inside the service garage freezer. A partially frozen live cat was found in the freezer. The cat was taken to the Parma, Ohio pet clinic and somehow managed to survive.
“We got some allegations regarding some potential wrongdoings,” Brooklyn Mayor Kenneth Patton stated to a local reporter. “Being an animal lover myself, I don’t like to see this happen.”
The employee who discovered the cat reported to police that he witnessed the animal warden putting the still live cat in the freezer.
Brooklyn councilwoman Rita Brown was outraged by the allegations of animal abuse.
“I was absolutely appalled that in our city of Brooklyn, we would have an animal warden that would put a cat in a freezer to euthanize it,” Brown said.
She organized a special council meeting to discuss the animal warden controversy. The meeting had a large turn out and was featured in newspapers and broadcast throughout the country. The "frozen cat" that lived quickly became the most talked about animal abuse case in the nation. Dubbed "Tom Brooklyn" (tomcat from Brooklyn,) the feral cat that fought to live also became the poster child of Trap-Neuter-Return. Animal activists from around the world argued that if the feral would have been trapped, neutered, returned to his outdoor colony and managed by volunteers, the incident would never have occurred.
Investigating the case, a police detective and Brooklyn’s mayor and safety director took a tour of the city kennel. They produced a lab report that showed the animal warden had apparently attempted to euthanize the feral cat before placing him in the freezer. The cat was tested for traces of euthanizing chemicals.
“Barbiturates and characteristics of pentobarbital were in the cats body, which means it was euthanized before it was in that freezer,” stated Brooklyn mayor Kenneth Patton.
Yet while the warden was certified to euthanize animals, the city was not. Records uncovered by investigative reporters also showed a long criminal record for the animal warden.
“We’re investigating the procedures that he administered to see if he used proper procedures in euthanization and control of the drugs and the things of that nature to determine if there was any wrongdoing on his part,” Det. Kenneth Fittro of Brooklyn Police told the media.
Employees at the service department were called in for questioning. One employee who refused to co-operate with investigators was suspended indefinitely.
The international animal rights organization, World Animal Foundation, received hundreds of emails from concerned members asking for help to save the cat from another attempt of euthansia. Voices across the nation, and as far away as Canada, Europe and the Middle East, urged the organization to help.
After deliberations with the city of Brooklyn, the feline was turned over to the World Animal Foundation to house and tame the cat. The local organization, C.A.T.S.S. (Community Action To Save Strays) provided assistance. Tom was placed in foster care in the home of the WAF's president, Gary M. Barnby who resides in Oberlin, Ohio.
As the world continues to watch, Mayor Ken Patton says a police investigation continues and new procedures are in the works at the city kennel. The World Animal Foundation hopes to work with the City of Brooklyn to establish a Trap-Neuter-Return policy rather than Trap-and-Kill. TNR is the compassionate choice and the only method proven to reduce feral cat populations.
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