On Friday 26th of June three ALV members investigated a property near Ararat where ‘hundreds’ of sick cats were reportedly being illegally bred. An informant contacted ALV after visiting the property, she saw an ad in the Trading Post giving away cats. The informant was appalled at conditions and two of the four sick cats she was given had to be euthanised (pictured lower right) after testing positive for deadly Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP).

The ALV investigation witnessed over 100 cats inside one shed on the property, most of whom were coughing and sneezing badly with cat flu like symptoms. The woman breeding the cats was giving some of them away for free rather than paying for the veterinary care they desperately needed. Three sick kittens were given to the ALV team who immediately took them to a vet for treatment and tests. One of these kittens (pictured top right) had a hole next to his left eye that leaked pus and blood. Upon
inspection the vet said the hole could be the result of inbreeding.

ALV filed a cruelty complaint to the Bureau of Animal Welfare (DPI) who immediately asked the local Council to investigate which is currently underway.