(Hodge, LA) A $1,000.00 reward has been offered for the return or information leading to the discovery of two missing cats in the Village of Hodge, LA. The disappearance of the cats and Mayor Gerald Palmer’s alleged involvement have sparked an online firestorm, according to a press release issued from the Humane Society of Louisiana (HSLA) on April 16th.
PRESS RELEASE
(Humane Society of Louisiana) – Tommy McDougald and his wife have cared for two outdoor cats, Bobbie & Tuxey, for several years. Bobbie is a very pretty Siamese bobtail, while Tuxey is a neutered male Tuxedo. Both sleep and play together on the McDougald’s porch.
However, one day last week, while leaving for work, Mrs. McDougald noticed a city worker baiting a humane trap very close to their property. Upon their return from work, the McDougalds noticed that both of their cats were missing.
Deeply upset, since they are domesticated cats reliant on humans for food, water, shelter, and vet care, Mr. McDougald immediately contacted the Mayor of Hodge, who responded that he had acted on a neighbor’s complaint and that they had been hauled far away. He implied that it was Mr. McDougald’s fault for allowing the cats to be outdoors.
The next morning, Mr. McDougald asked the worker about the cats, and the worker confirmed that these were the two trapped. However, when asked where he removed the cats to – a shelter or other facility, the worker simply replied that he took them up the hill in Jonesboro.
Mr. McDougald reviewed the city ordinances, which clearly state that any animal control officer (or employee acting in that capacity) may impound a cat or dog at a suitable facility, complete a formal intake registry of the animal, notify the owner within no less than three days, and charge an impoundment fee of $5.00 per day per animal, plus a $7.50 fine per animal. According to McDougald, the village of Hodge failed to comply with its own impoundment policies and ordinances.
To encourage the cats’ immediate return, the Humane Society and the McDougalds are offering a $1,000.00 reward for their return or for information leading to their discovery. To reach the Humane Society, please email them at info@humanela.org or call them at 1-888-6-HUMANE. The McDougalds have filed formal complaints against the mayor with multiple enforcement agencies and remain hopeful that somehow their beloved feline companions will be returned or found unharmed.
If you have information regarding the cats, you are encouraged to call HSLA Director Jeff Dorson at (901) 268-4432 or Tommy McDougald at (318) 413-2586.
About the Humane Society of Louisiana
Established in 1988, HSLA is one of the largest animal protection organizations in the state. For more information, please visit its website at www.humanela.org.