SPCA worker injured retrieving runaway cat after man frees shelter animals in Nelson

SPCA Nelson feline attendant Carmen Torrance was injured trying to retrieve animals let loose during a night raid of the shelter. Boris the cat (inset) was among the animals released and was still missing. Photo / NZME composite

An SPCA worker was injured by a cat while scrambling to retrieve shelter animals released by a man who didn’t like the idea of them being caged.

Carmen Torrance was among staff at the SPCA in Nelson, along with police and neighbours, who spent hours searching for missing cats and dogs after the night raid in February, in which the man released animals from crates and cages and cut a fence open.

Police said every animal at the centre was released, resulting not only in the worker being injured, but emergency vet bookings being needed for many animals after they gorged themselves on food and after mixing with non-desexed animals.

A Bullmastiff Rottweiler cross named Simba was among the dogs roaming Nelson that the SPCA believed were a bite risk to the public.

Nelson centre manager Amy Sturkenboom said all the animals were found within a couple of days, with the exception of Boris the cat, who remained missing.

She said there were significant risks during the incident, but Simba, who was a recent arrival at the centre, posed the greatest risk because he was fearful and lacked socialisation.

Nelson SPCA feline attendant Carmen Torrance said while the incident was distressing, she and others were grateful the outcome wasn't worse. Photo / Tracy Neal

“We were unsure how he would react to people or other animals, and there was concern for his safety and that of others if he was approached.”

Sturkenboom said Simba was found about 36 hours later through the efforts of the canine attendant.

“Her presence and some treats helped coax him to safety.”

Simba the Bullmastiff dog was found 36 hours after being freed by a man who released animals during a night raid of the SPCA in Nelson. Photo / SPCA Nelson-Marlborough

The man, who was arrested and charged with burglary but can’t be named for legal reasons, told the police he freed the animals because he did not like them being caged.

He was recently found not guilty in the Nelson District Court on the grounds of insanity. He was subsequently acquitted and ordered to receive inpatient psychiatric treatment.

He told NZME through his lawyer Mark Dollimore that he wanted the public to know that in his mind, at the time, he felt he was doing something kind and he was motivated by helping the animals to freedom.

Dollimore said the man was an animal lover and had not gone to the SPCA with the intent of doing something criminal.

Sturkenboom said the break-in was incredibly distressing for the team, volunteers and the wider community.

“While we’re relieved that most were safely recovered, it was a challenging and emotional time for everyone involved.”

Torrance, a feline attendant at the SPCA where she has worked for 20 years, still bears the scars on her arms and legs of her efforts to capture one of the cats.

She said it was upsetting but they were at least grateful none of the animals were killed, especially with dogs and rabbits on the loose.

“It could have been a lot worse. We’re very lucky the kittens stayed around,” she said.

Boris the cat was among the animals missing after an overnight break-in at the Nelson SPCA. He still hasn't been found. Photo / SPCA Nelson-Marlborough

According to the police summary of facts, the man was seen on CCTV footage driving his van, with false plates, to the SPCA just after 5pm on February 16 this year.

He was said to have cut his way through a chain-link fence to gain access to a quarantine compound.

He then entered the kennels and released Simba, who ran out of the complex and on to Waimea Rd – a busy main road in and out of Nelson City.

The man opened the roller doors to the rabbit cages and cut holes in the enclosure before entering the main dog kennel area.

Once inside, he released three dogs, Cole, Zoe and Frankie, and then entered the cat complex, where he opened animal food containers, released multiple kittens and the adult cat Boris.

Sturkenboom told NZME at the time that four kittens being treated for Giardia were released from their pens but found later hiding in a storage area.

Just after 9pm, the man coaxed a black dog into his van but the dog escaped and ran back into the SPCA compound.

Hours later, he was seen walking to his van with a black dog, which jumped into the van, the door was closed and the man drove off.

In the early hours of the next morning, he returned to the compound, turning off his headlights as he drove in.

He left just after 6am, having let every animal go, police said.

The man was found in his van two days later with Frankie the dog, who was then delivered to an after-hours vet.

He told police what he had done and that his goal was to set the animals free.

He would have taken them all and it was the best trip of his life, he said in a statement to the police.

Sturkenboom said alongside staff and volunteers who helped find the animals, the centre was “incredibly fortunate” to have support from the local community, who provided sightings and assistance.

“It truly was a team effort.”

She said all except Boris had since been adopted into loving homes.

“Simba’s adoption was finalised just this past weekend, which is a wonderful outcome after such a traumatic start,” Sturkenboom said.

Dollimore said his client was grateful for support from his family, who had helped him through his mental health crisis.

Tracy Neal is a Nelson-based Open Justice reporter at NZME. She was previously RNZ’s regional reporter in Nelson-Marlborough and has covered general news, including court and local government for the Nelson Mail.