This is actually heartbreaking

Contact local media, there’s no way they won’t want to cover something like this, especially if there is any paper trail

Have you contacted a lawyer to see what your options were? Legally, a pet is property.

I will also say, if your friend gets the cat back, the cat should no longer have adventures out of supervision.

i would reach out to local media or post on larger facebook pages for your county/town and try to put the shelter on blast

i would also reach back out to the police again and perhaps home again for legal advice because this sounds entirely against the protocol everyone was supposed to conduct. i'm sure you are not the first this has happened to, so it seems unrealistic that the final option is to just let it go because people think it's "too cruel" to revoke a cat that was improperly adopted out to return them to their rightful family.

Police and a lawyer.

Hey! This is fucking heart breaking, I’m just jumping in to say that this wasn’t actually the ASPCA. Based on the name Ross Licitra works for the Monmouth County SPCA, which isn’t affiliated with the national ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals). Just making sure anger is directed at the right place, because anything at the ASPCA isn’t gonna affect the Monmouth County SPCA.

I would keep bugging them as much as possible. Call daily, contact everyone up the chain of command, do everything you can to get the chairman's info.

That statement from October 26th is pure bullshit. They just don't want to deal with it anymore. I personally would be going nuclear over this. Get these people's info and never let them go a day without hearing from you until you get that cat back. There's also now way the "new family" wouldn't give that cat back to you. They aren't as heartless as the ASPCA.

Can you still track the cat and try to talk to the owners yourself? Definitely contact an attorney and start a lawsuit against the ASPCA.

Many of these ASPCA chapters are run by absolute nutjob police wanna-bees. They are as dangerous AF. Best of luck to your friend.

Legally, it's your friend's property. He just needs the chip paperwork and swear an affidavit that he never approved the transfer of ownership. That family does not own that cat.

It's MCSPCA, by the way.

This sounds like a story for News 12. Contact them.

Make the police report. The police won't want to take the report but insist. Then engage a lawyer.

like everyone else said keep fighting! post this on local facebook pages, news outlets, put it all over social media. contact the family personally if you can! i saw on ig this dog that was stolen by a sitter and possibly rehomed and the story has gone viral now! my heart goes out to you, i would be so lost without my dog. i hope you’re reunited with your cat asap!!

So are these chips not locked or anything? Like, people can just change shit at will? And there's no GPS information or log of who tried to push/pull data to it? This is insane

it might be a stretch, but the cat is lost property that has id markings. the shelter messed up. guess what happens if you buy stolen property at a pawn shop and it eventually surfaces - it’s not yours (i know not totally the same) and you’re out the money. Realistically it probably is more civil than criminal.

the prosecutor’s office may be helpful to complain about this “police” department. The ASCPCA has been a mess and many counties removed their law enforcement status. the asbury park press may be interested too.

Ross Licitra is an elected official, he’s on the Board of County Commissioners. Your friend is a resident of Monmouth County, so she is his constituent. Have her call the county commissioners office in Freehold.

Flood social media with the most sympathetic pictures of the cat you can find. Have one where it's napping on a child's head like a hat? Include proof of ownership (the Home again information) Tag every Law Enforcement agency and News agency within 30 miles. Do this several times a day on every platform. Don't stop.

OP, definitely start weaponizing social media. There is Eatontown Facebook Groups. Blast your story and the photo of Percy. Maybe his new family will line up the details and reach out. Perhaps offer to reimburse them for the adoption fee for their troubles.

K, this is infuriating. It’s time to lawsuit their asses into compliance and emotional damage fees. That other family are pieces of shit as well.

There is no aspca in Monmouth County, that a different origination, it's the MCSPCA.

Keep everything documented

Call the police file a report

Get a lawyer

Contact the media and share on social media what they did.

Get a lawyer and have a letter sent. Indicate you intend to press charges against the ASPCA for theft (given that they knew the cat was already owned and were surreptitiously trying to change the chip. Indicate that you also intend to go after the new family for receiving stolen property.

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I don't know if you can actually do any of that, but receiving the letter on lawyer's letterhead may scare them enough into moving heaven and earth to avoid having to find out.

That really sucks. I'd be inconsolable as well. The problem is that in NJ there is a 7 day stray hold period before an animal can legally be adopted out. If they had it 7 days or more there's unfortunately not much you can do AFAIK

Lawyer up & go to local news. There would be hell to pay if this happened to my cat. I’m so sorry

People change numbers all the time.

But then they notify important contacts to update their info. I’m sorry you are going through this but this is the second mistake involving the care of your cat. It’s not the SPCA’s fault and DEFINITELY not ASPCA’s fault

I’d say update your post but history tends to repeat itself

Call the local news. Put the pressure on them. Bad press is their worst fear.

OK, this is a pretty shitty situation and I do think the ASPCA could have done more. But did they call around to all the local rescues and shelters to see if the cat turned up I would think if they did, they might have been able to find the cat before it was rehomed. I'm also assuming the cat escaped out the door and wasn't let outside intentionally.

But yes, AsssumiIng (again) your friends want the cat back, they should follow up with an attorney and find out what their options are. Pets are property so they probably have some recourse. Have they been able to reach out to the people who adopted the cat? I know that if I sound out I accidentally adopted someone else's pet, I'd give it back.

As a pet owner, this infuriates me.

This sounds like a story that would be ripe for “7 on your side” or some similar local news segment and I bet the new owners would much prefer to not be outed on the local news as the assholes who refuse to return a pet to its home and family.

Sorry for your situation and it sucks but they did everything legally they are supposed to do. Spending energy to try and shame them, feels icky to me.

Having a number of acquaintances in animals rescues and shelters and volunteered in the past at shelters, they are completely overwhelmed but they made a call to an old number and waited the mandatory hold period of seven days. Seems like they did what they are supposed to do.

A shelter is on a streamlined budget and understandably does have their marketing database connected to their adoption database. Nor do they have monies or resources to chase down every one....these places are swamped with many responsibilities.

You are not going to like this but your attempt to vilify them is just not right. The way they are handling your requests, might not be the most customersl centric but you made the errors not them .

Also losing an adopted cat might also place you in a spot where you may not profile as an ideal owner anymore.

I would say drop it. You learned a very tough lesson which really sucks but always know who owns the animal control contract for your town and be aggressive in your search and let them know immediately, let the local police know and put signs everywhere. Lastly, keep contact info up to date.

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