The Sandy Pines Recreational Community in Salem Township is drawing fire from Facebook videos and photos that suggest a feral cat was caught in a metal trap and allowed to die.
The recreational park’s officials have indicated they and local authorities are looking into policies as to how feral cat populations are handled..
Allegan County Sheriff Frank Baker said someone found one of the traps used to deal with feral cat issues, “and it appears as though one of the cats inside that trap was deceased. And as a result of that, we began an investigation into what occurred.”
Baker said when the probe has been completed, the findings will be forwarded to the county prosecutor’s office for review.
Sandy Pines has insisted that charges of deliberaewly having the cat dies are not true.
In the prepared statement, officials said, “We fully understand the seriousness of these allegations and understand how the pictures being shared through social media, and improper assumptions being made, portrays Sandy Pines in a negative light. While we want to correct the record now, it is important for everyone to let law enforcement correct the record. If we were to disclose the actual evidence that has been obtained, it could compromise the ongoing investigation.”
The statement added that Sandy Pines public safety officers routinerly check all traps, “thus it is highly unlikely this incident happened as it is alleged and as it is being portrayed. There are many factors at play which could affect the outcome of this investigation…
“While we welcome constructive conversation on this topic, we will not tolerate speculation, accusation, name calling and blame. We have a zero tolerance policy and such speculation and accusation…”
The statement asserted that results of this issue are in the hands of Allegan County officials, “and we are confident that the truth will win out.”
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