Possible cat poisonings in Hogansville
Published 5:24 pm Wednesday, December 18, 2019
The City of Hogansville has received information that someone could possibly be poisoning cats in The Village neighborhood in Hogansville.
“We have no confirmations, but basically we have enough information coming in our direction that leads us to believe poison might be involved,” said Hogansville Code Enforcement Officer Jennifer Baker.
“Between having animals coming in dead or missing, we suspect that foul play is involved one way or the other.”
Hogansville Code Enforcement has reports of at least five cats around the area that have come up dead and a multitude of cats missing.
“Between two separate owners, I have had reports of a total of five cats that have first displayed signs of illness, such as vomiting, diarrhea and lack of appetite,” Baker said.
“Those cats have since then died. We suspect poison but cannot prove it at this point.”
The Hogansville Police Department announced Tuesday night that it plans to have the five cats tested for cause of death.
The HPD also posted on its Facebook page, “We are taking these complaints very seriously and are investigating possible reasons for these issues.”
According to City Manager David Milliron, a number of residents living in the Village area had recently come to the council with complaints about cats roaming the area.
“All of a sudden, we have cats in the same location, exactly where the complaints came from, that are showing up dead, and are missing,” Milliron said.
“We’ve got one woman reporting that she’s missing seven cats.”
Milliron said it is a criminal offense if they found out someone was in fact poising cats in Hogansville.
“We can criminally charge them,” Milliron said.
Authorities say if a cat in Hogansville begins showing any signs of illness, seek immediate vet care.
Reports indicate symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea and loss of appetite.
It is recommended that you report any sick, missing, or deceased animals to Baker at the Hogansville Police Department at (706) 637-6648.