Cats for cash: Hung Hom pet shop owner arrested for stealing 35 cats for debt payment

A pet shop owner in Hung Hom was arrested for allegedly stealing 35 expensive cats to cover his unpaid debts totaling approximately HK$210,000.

The incident came to light when a 57-year-old woman -- surnamed Lam -- reported that her three leopard cats, boarded at the pet shop on Dock Street on June 1, had gone missing.

Additionally, 32 purebred cats, including British Shorthairs and Ragdolls, consigned for sale by a customer surnamed Choi, were also reported stolen. 

Reports indicated that the stolen cats were worth about HK$150,000 and HK$473,000 respectively. 

Following preliminary investigations, officers arrested the 44-year-old shop owner surnamed Chan on suspicion of theft.

Police recovered 35 missing cats in Yau Ma Tei and Yuen Long, assisted by staff from the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), confirming that all the cats are in good health.

It is reported that Chan had borrowed HK$210,000 from a licensed finance company in August last year but failed to repay the loan. 

As the staff from the finance company visited the owner's shop on Monday (June 30), Chan proposed to hand over the cats in the shop as partial repayment of his debt.

The case has now been transferred to the Kowloon City District Investigation Team for follow-up.

(Phoebe Poon)