The SPCA is investigating after "multiple" deceased cats were found this week in an abandoned travel trailer in South Surrey.
Surrey Police Service Sgt. Tige Pollock confirmed Thursday (July 24) that the RCMP Surrey Provincial Operations Support Unit attended 1250 King George Blvd. on July 20 "regarding an animal-related investigation."
"SPCA are investigating the matter further," Pollock said.
According to area residents, the trailer had been sitting on the roadside outside the Border RV Park for about 10 days.
It was locked for six days, Saunta Pezzot told Peace Arch News, adding that particular period was a stretch of weather in which the mercury climbed to 30 C outside.
Photos shared with PAN show what appears to be the inside of a trailer, with at least two animal carriers/crates atop of a deteriorating bed and what looks to be a several-inches-thick layer of feces-heavy debris.
One man 鈥� who described himself as a resident of the Border RV Park 鈥� reported seeing authorities on site all day Wednesday, and "it looks like they pulled multiple dead cats out of it."
"We've had this eyesore in front of our place for weeks now," he added.
Pezzot said she reported concerns to police after she and her boyfriend investigated the sounds of meowing coming from inside the trailer, and were shocked by what they found. Surprised by the mews 鈥� given how long it had been left unattended roadside 鈥� they forced a door open.
The smell that wafted out was "so horrendous" Pezzot turned and ran.
She described "a foot of feces鈥� cans of cat food on top of that feces."
"The feces was鈥� everywhere," she said.
Offered water, the cat "lunged and sat right in the water and just drank and drank and drank," she said.
When police attended, Pezzot said she could hear the officers gagging.
SPCA spokesperson Debra Walley confirmed that an animal-protection investigation is underway but could not provide further details, citing the ongoing work.
Pezzot said she's been told three of four cats associated with the trailer had to be euthanized. Skeletal remains of other cats were also found inside, and live traps have been set in an effort to trap several other felines 鈥� including one that is pregnant 鈥� that were reportedly shooed out of the trailer before it was abandoned, she added.
She's also been told that one cat is already available for adoption.
The trailer was towed away just after midnight Thursday, Pezzot continued. She said she and other residents of the RV park are helping monitor the traps, and continuing to "do the best we can" to help.
"It's something you just can't walk away from," she said.
