NANAIMO — Neighbouring residents of a property in the Meadowood area near Qualicum Beach are on the lookout for a unique animal on the loose, which owners believe was deliberately let out of its cage.
A pair of five-year-old servals, wild cats native to Africa, escaped their enclosure in the early morning hours of Monday, Oct. 3. The male was captured shortly after getting out, but searches are ongoing for the female.
Laurel Bablitz, girlfriend of the serval’s owner Bill Edwards, said she was having a cigarette around 6 a.m. on Monday on when she heard her neighbour screaming.
“The neighbour across from us pulled out of their driveway…I heard ‘get out of here, get out of here!’… and I ran outside and checked and the gate (to the enclosure) was open.”
She said the servals gate requires lots of force to get it open, which makes it unlikely the African cats escaped without some assistance.
Bablitz woke up Edwards and both ran to the neighbour’s yard, where they were able to corral the male serval back into its cage. Unfortunately, it had already killed their neighbour’s pet cat.
“When Bill went over after the cat attack, the guy was there with an axe and he’s holding it over his shoulder. And Bill said, ‘what are you going to do with that axe?’ and he said ‘well if your cat comes back, it killed my cat so I’m going to kill it’”.
With one cat safely back in its enclosure, Bablitz and Edwards tried to get the other, who was still in their own yard, back into their catio.
She managed to evade their efforts and escaped over the fence and into the wilderness.
On average, servals can up to 62 centimeters tall at the shoulders and weigh up to 18 kilograms. (submitted photo)The couple set up live traps in their yard and began scouring the area in search of the missing cat.
Bablitz said they’ve only had the servals for about six weeks after purchasing them from a woman on the Mainland.
“We’ve been dealing with her for a couple of years trying to get a kitten. And then she came up with the solution to bring them here. With a bigger containment area they might be more comfortable and breed. I think they have been, so she could possibly be pregnant but I don’t know.”
The servals are kept in a separate enclosure from the couple’s three Savannah house cats and Bablitz said they treat them like big pets.
“I would never reach in to pet one of them, but I sit at the fence and talk to them. The male likes to chatter, so we chatter back and forth. My boyfriend has actually gone into the bedroom when the male is in there and actually got to pet him, but I’m not that brave.”
The two servals have their own indoor/outdoor catio space away from the other house cats. (supplied)The B.C. Conservation Officer Service (COS) said they were made aware of the animals at large on Monday.
Servals are not regulated under the Controlled Alien Species regulations, and therefore can be lawfully owned in B.C.
Since they are considered domestic pets and not wildlife, the animals don’t fall under their jurisdiction.
Conservation officers made contact with Bablitz and Edwards and provided advice, including contacting animal control of the BC SPCA for assistance.
While the missing cat has been spotted in the area they have been unable to lure her back into a cage, even when they used her favourite food to try and cox her into the kennel.
Bablitz said she understands people are nervous knowing the female serval is still at large
“We’re just frustrated. I understand people are scared and I’d be the same way…everybody here is upset about it, not being able to let their dogs or their kids out. But we didn’t let them out.”
Conservation officers said if the female serval is seen, do not approach it and call local animal control or the SPCA.
If spotted, you can also phone Bill Edwards at 778-977-3918.
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