KAUKAUNA (NBC 26) — Neighbors are calling for change after a Kaukauna police officer picked up a lost cat over the weekend and pledged to take it to an animal shelter. Instead, the cat was abandoned in a remote location far from home.
Michael Lynch said it started when he spotted "Walter" near his mother's yard on Sunday. He said he quickly realized the friendly animal was someone's pet rather than a feral cat.
After giving the animal food and water, Lynch called the Kaukauna Police Department. According to Lynch, the responding officer told him he would take Walter back to the station until the local pet shelter opened on Monday. Ring camera footage shows the officer taking the cat carrier to his patrol car.
The next day, Angela Lowe, Walter's owner, reached out to Lynch after seeing the cat's picture online. When Lynch told her the cat had been taken by police to the humane society, Lowe called to arrange pickup.
However, when Lowe contacted the shelter, she was told no one from the Kaukauna Police Department had dropped off a cat.
Lowe found Walter in a field Monday afternoon after hours of searching through thick brush and difficult terrain.
According to social media posts, Lowe wrote: "You wouldn't believe what we had to crawl around in - after 3 hours in the sharp bushes I was able to get to him and he crawled to me...my friend got cut so bad she had to go get stitches!"
The Kaukauna Police Department issued a statement to NBC 26, saying, "We are looking into our internal procedures to figure out how to better handle similar situations in the future."
The department would not share its current policy on handling stray animals, but city ordinance requires police to confine stray animals in a suitable animal pound for seven days before they can be sold or "destroyed in a humane manner."
Mayor Tony Penterman also issued a statement to NBC 26: "I am aware of the situation and have spoken with Michael and the police department about it."
The Kaukauna Police Department is not the first local police department to face criticism over stray animal policies this year. In January, the New London Police Department faced widespread backlash after announcing they would "no longer take in stray animals without identification, instead releasing them back onto the streets."
The New London policy stated that animals found without tags or microchips would be released "in the hopes that they will go back home," sparking outrage from residents concerned about animal welfare.
Following the criticism, New London police reversed course and began working with organizations to find solutions for handling stray animals.
Lynch has submitted a discovery request for the officer's audio and video footage and met with the mayor about the incident. He said he plans to continue pursuing accountability in the matter.
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