NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! An abandoned sailboat off a Washington beach was home to an unexpected crew: 60 cats and kittens, many of them scared and malnourished. The Tacoma Police Department said the unusual rescue began on Aug. 6 when its Marine Services Unit responded to reports of a 40-foot sailboat abandoned in the waters off Owen Beach. Officers initially discovered more than 30 cats and kittens living in unsafe conditions aboard the ship, many of which appeared scared and malnourished. Marine Services began coordinating with Animal Control and the department’s Forensic Unit to safely remove the animals. What initially appeared to be a rescue involving more than 30 cats eventually grew to 60 over the course of a rescue effort that lasted six days. 40-foot sailboat located off Owen Beach after a six-day rescue effort. (Tacoma Police Department) “That’s it! The last cat is off the ship. This time it’s real!” the police wrote. “Final cat count: 60!” Police said Animal Control was “as confident as possible that all cats have officially disembarked.” “That’s it for meow!” The department joked online. Despite believing all 60 cats had been rescued, police said they would continue making trips to the ship this week as a precaution. HERO SHEEPDOG BECOMES AN UNLIKELY RESCUE PARTNER AFTER AN UNEXPECTED MOVE OF FIRST RESPONDERS Tacoma Animal Control and Marine Services worked to safely remove 60 cats and kittens from a sailboat anchored off Owen Beach. (Tacoma Police Department) “While we believe we have safely removed all cats from the ship, as any cat owner knows, cats are exceptionally good at hiding,” police said. “Because there is always the possibility of a cat remaining on board, our job is not done yet.” The department said additional searches would be conducted under the authority of a search warrant. Police said Marine Services has also begun the process to move the legally registered vessel. Authorities asked people visiting Owen Beach or boating nearby to notify Animal Control if they see another cat aboard the boat, while also warning the public not to attempt their own rescues. FLORIDA MAIL CARRIER ACCUSED OF RUNNING PETS ON ROUTE, TRAPPING OVER 100 CATS AND DOGS IN ‘HOARDING’ HOUSE Tacoma police rescued 60 cats and kittens from a 40-foot sailboat anchored off Owen Beach in Washington after a six-day operation. (Tacoma Police Department) “We know that many animal lovers in our community want to help and we appreciate the concern for these cats,” police said. “However, this remains an active criminal case. Our teams are working hard to protect the animals while protecting the integrity of the investigation.” “PLEASE DO NOT BOARD THE VESSEL unless you are the legal owner,” the police added. The warning followed an incident in which private cat rescue hunter Camille Sutherland told KING 5 she boarded the ship overnight and captured two cats, which she took to the Humane Society. Some of the cats and kittens discovered aboard the sailboat were scared and malnourished, Tacoma police said. (Tacoma Police Department) Sutherland told the outlet he was trying to help and believed authorities were taking too long to rescue the animals. Police told KING 5 the unauthorized boarding complicated their investigation into the boat’s owner. (Tacoma Police Department) More than 40 of the 60 rescued cats were taken to the Humane Society for Tacoma & Pierce County, while the remaining animals were placed in foster homes in the area, according to KING 5.
