An extraordinary feline, spotted prowling the avenues of a Halifax neighborhood on Sunday, has been successfully captured and is now under the custody of the Department of Natural Resources.
Rachael Smith and her son were driving through the Armdale area of the city around 10:30 p.m. when they encountered a cat positioned in the middle of the road. Drawing nearer, they soon discerned that this was no ordinary feline; it was comparable in size to a medium-sized dog. Furthermore, it was engaged in a standoff with a smaller black-and-white domestic cat.
“I was deeply concerned about both the domestic cat and the exotic cat,” Smith shared during an interview with CBC Radio’s Information Morning Halifax. “I’ve never heard of exotic cats being in Halifax, so I found it extremely unusual for this to occur.”
Smith promptly notified authorities while still in the vicinity. Initially believing it might be a lynx, she realized it was too small for that classification. The creature had elongated legs and was adorned with striped and spotted fur.
Subsequent investigation revealed it to be a serval cat—a species indigenous to grasslands, open woodlands, and marshlands in sub-Saharan Africa—uncommonly found in Nova Scotia.
Tricia Fleming, the human wildlife coexistence biologist within the Department of Natural Resources, conveyed that the serval was captured by animal control and volunteer animal rescue teams on Monday afternoon.
“Our staff is dedicated to the animal’s welfare, addressing any health-related issues, and subsequently, ascertaining the best course of action,” Fleming disclosed to Information Morning.
“The underlying issue of how this animal ended up wandering in [the Halifax Regional Municipality] remains under thorough investigation.”
Rob Laidlaw, the founder of Ontario-based charity Zoocheck, dedicated to safeguarding wild and exotic animals, pointed out that servals are categorized as prohibited under Nova Scotia’s Wildlife Act and cannot be maintained as pets.
Laidlaw, however, noted that it’s plausible the serval might have been procured from an Ontario breeder—a province with no regulations on the ownership of exotic animals—and then transported to Nova Scotia as a pet—an endeavor that’s also unlawful.
“For many, there’s a romanticized perception of these creatures,” Laidlaw expounded in a conversation with CBC Radio’s Maritime Noon on Tuesday.
“They fail to realize that these animals are truly wild…They view them as large house cats, in the case of servals, without recognizing the distinction.”
He went on to highlight that servals are renowned for their aptitude as escape artists, citing incidents in Ontario and British Columbia.
“Given the opportunity, they will seize it,” Laidlaw emphasized. “They possess a remarkable ability to break free, and I believe that’s a clear sign they should not be confined where they’re currently held.”
Smith expressed relief that the serval cat was successfully apprehended.
Regarding the domestic cat, Smith later learned that he emerged unscathed from the confrontation, and his name is Sammy.
“He’s a local cat. I guess he holds sway in the neighborhood…but Sammy is safe,” Smith revealed. “I’m sure he’s still a bit rattled, and as for the owner, likely the same.”
