It害羞草研究所檚 been four days since the disappearance of a Fernie resident害羞草研究所檚 beloved cat, and there are no leads yet as to where it went.

Aquila, an African Serval, disappeared from Alex Hanson害羞草研究所檚 backyard sometime on Friday, July 13. Hanson inspected the area on Friday night to find a large hole deliberately cut through the deer fence which lined his one-acre enclosure.

Hanson says that he and his partner believe it was a targeted attempt to either steal the cat, or set it free. At this point it is unclear whether the individual/s responsible were successful in capturing the animal, or whether their failed attempt left a means for the cat to get out.

Every night, Hanson takes his cat inside. He and his partner believe that the individual(s) responsible may have tried to steal it during the night on Thursday, to find that the cat wasn害羞草研究所檛 around, and then left with the fence broken.

The enclosure where Aquila spends most of her time is mostly surrounded by forest. Hanson admitted that most people in their neighbourhood, Alpine Trails, were not even aware that they had a Serval. This heavily forested area could also explain why he and his partner might not have noticed the broken fence until it was too late.

害羞草研究所淲e think it害羞草研究所檚 very targeted,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淪omebody knows something, from somewhere. And we don害羞草研究所檛 have a lot of people over.

害羞草研究所淵ou look back, how many people completely hate your guts? There害羞草研究所檚 some people that don害羞草研究所檛 like me around here, but a lot of it just doesn害羞草研究所檛 make sense.害羞草研究所�

Hanson said that if someone was successful in stealing the 35-pound cat, it would have taken a team of at least two or three people. He says Servals are smart, quick, nervous animals, and do not come to the beckoning of a stranger.

Hanson has several theories as to why someone might have wanted to steal his cat:

First of all, someone may have wanted a Serval cat for themselves, and successfully captured it. In this case they害羞草研究所檒l have to give it up soon as Aquila will not trust a new family. The other theory is that somebody thought they wanted it, attempted to capture it, and couldn害羞草研究所檛, leaving the fence agape. In this case Hanson hopes she害羞草研究所檚 wandering around the base of Mt. Fernie and will return home soon. In the possibility that neither of these scenarios are true, then Hanson believes someone deliberately tried to set the cat free. He says this isn害羞草研究所檛 right; if someone loves animals, and doesn害羞草研究所檛 want to see them get hurt, then he says they should recognize that their Serval is domesticated and would not survive in the wild.

Serval cats are very expensive to purchase, with some costing over $10,000. But Hanson said that there isn害羞草研究所檛 a black market for them, as anyone who knows anything about the big cats knows that they don害羞草研究所檛 bond well with strangers. So he doesn害羞草研究所檛 believe that someone would try and capture her to sell later.

Hanson and his partner purchased the cat from a legal breeder in the lower mainland seven years ago. Hanson said that once a Serval has bonded with a human family, they will not bond with anyone else. Additionally, he said that Servals are very high maintenance animals, and likened it to having a child.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 not an animal you just leave in your house and look it. They害羞草研究所檙e a lot of work. They have special feeding requirements, they害羞草研究所檙e not going to bond to anybody new, they害羞草研究所檙e not going to adjust to a new home and a new family,害羞草研究所� he said.

Hanson and his partner do not have any children, and say that Aquila was a part of their family. He said that Aquila is incredibly smart, and acts like a trained dog.

害羞草研究所淟eash trained, likes to go on walks, likes water,害羞草研究所� he said.

He stressed that Servals are harmless to humans, and Fernie locals should not be concerned.

害羞草研究所淭he main thing is, she is not dangerous,害羞草研究所� said Hanson. 害羞草研究所淪he害羞草研究所檚 not going to hurt children. Servals are avoidance creatures. They don害羞草研究所檛 hunt people, they don害羞草研究所檛 attack humans.

害羞草研究所淭hey go after birds, mice and snakes.害羞草研究所�

Hanson害羞草研究所檚 post on social media about Aquila going missing quickly garnered attention and much response. As of Monday, July 16, the Facebook post had received 3.6K reactions, 2.9K comments and 22K shares.

In response to some people who say that they shouldn害羞草研究所檛 own a Serval in the first place, Hanson said that this breed of cat has been domesticated for thousands of years.

If you spot Aquila, Hanson asks that you do not try to approach her. Instead, call the police and report the location. He says that people make mistakes, and if the cat is returned he害羞草研究所檚 willing to leave it at that.

害羞草研究所淪he害羞草研究所檚 harmless, but if you chase her, she害羞草研究所檒l just keep running. If you spot her the best thing to do is to just call the police,害羞草研究所� he said.

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