The search is on for a couple who animal welfare activists fear are abducting stray cats.
For two years, reports were made about the couple who drive a white van, trap and take cats away, the co-founder of Stray Animals Support Group SASG, Janine Vella, said.
She fears “hundreds” of cats have been taken for their coats or even meat, pointing out that she had already sent out an e-mail last year about the couple.
The matter has also been reported to Animal Welfare Department director Joseph Vella who, yesterday, issued an appeal for witnesses to anything suspicious to call the police or contact the department.
Despite several reports, nobody noted the van’s number plate so far and some were even unwittingly deceived by the fact that the couple told onlookers they were neutering the cats, Ms Vella said.
The first report she received was from a person in Żebbuġ two years ago, followed by sightings in Siġġiewi, Guardamangia and, a few weeks ago, from the Karin Grech Hospital area.
The latest report was made by a concerned foreigner in Buġibba, who reported that cats in the street by the former Limelight Hotel and next to the Grapevine Pub had also gone missing.
Ms Vella pointed out that she also drove a white van and caught cats to have them neutered but she returned them within days. Organisations that did the same all shared some sort of contact, she said.
She said the reason she was suspicious of the couple in question was that whenever witnesses spoke to them, they were very aggressive for no reason.
Television presenter and activist Moira Delia said that when she received the first report she was sceptical and initially ignored it until more sources came forward and she became very concerned.
Speaking on behalf of the Animal Sanctuary and animal lovers, she appealed for people to make note of the vehicle’s details if they came across the couple again.
Echoing the appeal, Ms Vella asked for people to photograph the suspect couple and their van with their mobile phones and then make a report to the police and the Animal Welfare Department.
Those who have any information can call the department on 2292 4236/2292 4113.