New Westminster offers hope to missing cats from Pinecrest Manor fire
Rescue teams use thermal cameras and trapped food to locate displaced cats as residents wait for access to the damaged building.
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Rescue volunteers and animal services are working to reunite displaced cats with their families following the apartment fire at Pinecrest Manor in New Westminster earlier this month, though the hazardous condition of the site is limiting search efforts.
Signs around the fencing surrounding the building list multiple missing cats that residents desperately want back. While the site remains restricted to staff and crews due to safety concerns, the City of New Westminster and New Westminster Fire and Rescue Service say the security fencing does not prevent cats from escaping the rubble.
"We know residents are anxious to see searches take place, and we share that urgency," said Deputy Fire Chief Jeff Gill. "We know how important these cats are to the people who love them, and our hearts go out to everyone still waiting for answers."
Nicole and Stephanie Tolea, who are part of a volunteer cat rescue group, are using "stinky" wet cat food and thermal cameras to lure cats out of the site. Their satellite cameras immediately send photos to their phones via an app, helping them identify and track missing animals.
"We are willing to put in the work. We've done this before," said Stephanie Tolea. "Even if we could just get access behind these fence lines to set things a little closer to the cats that might be scared, we'd have bigger success and a bigger chance of getting them home safely."
Animal Services is conducting patrols of the area and working in conjunction with New Westminster Fire and Rescue and the Vancouver Orphan Kitten Rescue Association (VOKRA). The agencies are using trail cameras, traps, and sheltered crates to recover the missing cats. "Cats are incredibly resilient and often return to places that are familiar to them," said Kathryn Holm, Acting Director of Engineering and Public Works. "Every report we receive helps build a clearer picture of where these cats are moving and helps focus our response."
The City of New Westminster encourages people to report missing or located cats to Animal Services at 604-519-2008.
The facts
What methods are being used to find the missing cats?
Rescue teams at Pinecrest Manor in New Westminster are using thermal cameras, wet cat food, trail cameras, traps, and sheltered crates to locate and recover displaced cats from the fire.
Which organizations are involved in the cat rescue efforts?
Animal Services, New Westminster Fire and Rescue Service, the Vancouver Orphan Kitten Rescue Association (VOKRA), and volunteer cat rescue groups including Nicole and Stephanie Tolea are working together to reunite cats with residents.
How can residents report missing or found cats?
Residents can report missing or located cats to Animal Services in New Westminster by calling 604-519-2008.
