Hello,
This is my first post on here, I am hoping someone will be able to give me some advice - its a long story.
Me and my partner moved to New Zealand and took our 3 cats with us but unfortunately it didn't work out for us and we ended up returning to the UK. Before we left we trust our UK vet to carry out all the necessary requirements including the Rabies stuff in case we needed to come back. However he did not complete the paperwork correctly and the cats could not return to the Uk without completing the Rabies vaccinations and blood tests again. They stayed in a cattery in NZ for a couple of months which was heartbreaking enough and then we made the decision to bring them into France to have them closer to us but avoiding the strict rules of UK quarantine. I thought this would be kinder on the cats.
We found a UK couple who had set up a kennels and cattery in Brittany, and they seemed very friendly and caring on the phone. I had numerous conversations with the lady, who was in charge of the cattery (her husband is a builder and told us he had nothing to do with the animal business), they had a website and seemed perfectly genuine.
We went to meet the cats in off the plane France and stayed with them for a few weeks to check they were okay, but as we did not speak French we did not start the Vets process (for PET passport) as the cattery couple said they would look after the cats for the 6 months and have the blood tests done (they had already had the Rabies vaccines twice in NZ). So in August we happily left the cats in their care.
In the early weeks, the only problem we noticed was that the lady seemed quite ditsy and not very organised. She always talked about how lovely the cats were and how she sometimes spent so long in the cattery that her husband came looking for her, it all seemed so genuine and caring. Weeks went by with not a lot happening, they kept saying they were waiting for quotes from the vets and came up with other delays but in the end the cats were apparently given an appointment to have the blood tests.
On the day, they called us to say the vet had refused to do the blood tests as he wanted to administer another Rabies vaccine. I did not agree that it was in the cats best interests to have 3 Rabies jabs in a year and was concerned, the vet had apparently said that they often get stopped on the return to the UK for incorrect paperwork and he wanted to be thorough. I had read the DEFRA website over and over and was knew that as long as the vaccines were carried out in a qualifying country they would be fine, and I was willing to risk it as the NZ vet was extremely competent and we had the correct vaccine certificates etc.
So, I went back to the cattery and told them they should take the cats back to the vets to just have the blood tests, and we would not hold the vet responsible for any problems down the line. By now we had made payments to the cattery, but the figures quoted always seem to change on the phone, again the women did not seem to be very good with the money side of things, and I asked for her to quote in writing by email to keep everything on track (she never did this). When I paid for September, she rang a week later and was a bit offish saying we were in arrears (of only about 50 euros) but I had paid into her (British) bank account the exact amount she had said on the phone, so felt a bit let down. Then the following month I once again checked the amount on the phone before depositing but this time the husband rang me saying I was £250 short (even though they always quoted in Euros and we converted to £'s). I was absolutely shocked so me and my partner checked our records against an invoice email that luckily we had received from them and we worked out we were actually in credit for the Vets fees and up to date with board.
This is when things really turned bad.
We were now in November, the cats were no closer to returning to the UK and as this is what we were paying them to do we felt very let down. We felt that the £500 a month we had been paying had gone down the drain. So I decided not to stand for it any more. I told him that we would not pay anymore until they sent us proper receipts for money paid, invoices in advance in writing and something from the vets to advise that they would proceed with the tests. I just wanted reassurance really and for them to acknowledge that the delays were extremely costly for us and more importantly that the cats were stuck in a cattery for a lot longer than was necessary. I also requested to know why they thought the account was £250 short.
However, instead of reassurance he got very nasty (and the woman would no longer speak to me, she would pass the phone to him) and immediately started threatening to 'destroy' the cats if we didn't pay. He started harassing me on the phone so I refused to speak to him, instead decided to have everything in writing so that it would be clear for both sides. Although he was being nasty I thought the threats were just that, and still thought we would get back on track. I also felt confident that the women would still be looking after the cats as she had always seemed so timid but nice (and he wasn't involved in the care side of things). I wrote an official, formal sounding email asking again for the information I had requested and point blank told him that threats and harassment would not be tolerated. I am just disgusted that anyone (supposedly) caring for animals would act in this way.
It was December now and I had starting looking for another cattery in France and explored the options to bring the cats into quarantine as a back up. As we had three cats it was difficult to get them a place, but I found a cattery (and the transport to move them) that would take them on 8th January. By now it was just a matter of waiting to get them out, I continued to politely reply to his emails but still did not come to any agreements, he just continued to send me invoices (and each was slightly different for the same period, one even stated that September had 32 days!) and did not answer any of the questions I had or showed any compassion. The only thing I was worrying about now was if he would not let the cats be collected. I also tried to find a solicitor as I felt it was the appropriate time to send an official letter and get some advice. I couldn't get a local solicitor as they said I would need specialist advice and knowledge of French law. I wondered whether to send a bag of Iams to the cattery so the cats would not suffer because of the dispute, but my partner said no and the cattery never requested anything.
His deadline for 'destroying' them was the end of December so we have been extremely upset and worried about their welfare. I stated this in an email and advised that we would do a spot check on the cattery and visit sometime in December. He replied saying the opening times and that we were welcome to visit. As we don't drive, we couldn't really get to rural Brittany easily so haven't visited and wanted to put the money towards the next catteries deposit. I continued to feel that the cats were at least still being cared for (probably getting the cheapest food etc but doesn't matter at this point) and felt a little reassured by the email.
Then I received the worst possible news on Christmas Day. For some reason decided to check my email and there was one from the cattery which I opened. This is the exact email copied and pasted (including spelling mistakes).
"i appologize for the delay in getting back to you,
unfortunatly i have to inform you that last sunday baby died,
we found her first thing on sunday morning curled up in her bed with no visible signs of a problem,
we took her to the vet on monday morning and we instructed him to carry out an altopsy which he did and we got the resolts on friday,
she died of liver/kidney failure
please be ashured that the altopsy is at our expense and not yours,
please contact me as to what you would like us to do regarding the future"
I have not stopped crying since then, and despite requesting further information urgently have not received another email from them. All three cats were in perfect health in August and they have never indicated a problem with any of them. Baby was my little shadow, she used to follow me around the house and would sleep on my chest at night. I am absolutely devastated and finding this difficult to write now. Also she was only 6 years old and I can not understand what has happened, there must have been neglect by the cattery. Apparently she died on the 14th December and they did not bother to write the email until the 21st December. How can they have let her suffer? She should have seen a vet even if she was seriously ill and been put to sleep. I can't believe she died on her own in a cattery with the other cats knowing what was happening. If I had the slightest indication that there was a problem I would have spent every last penny getting over there to see her.
Today, I felt a little stronger and as I had not had a reply by email decided to ring the cattery. For some reason I expected him to be a little more sensitive but I was wrong, they must be pure evil. I recorded the conversation though I know it could not be used in court. Have advised that the cats will be collected on the 8th (if only I could get them now) and he said he will not release them until we make full payment, and if this doesn't happen they will be destroyed on the 9th. I said to him that a vet would not put a healthy cat to sleep but he reckoned that 3 vets agreed with the course of action.
I also stated that this was not non-payment, this was a dispute which I am quite happy to settle in court, but this will not be a quick process. I am obviously beside myself with worry over the other cats and will not agree to leave with him whilst the money matter is settled. All I have tried to do for the last few months is try to get things on track and now feel like I want to give up completely, but obviously have to save my other cats.
We would turn up at the cattery ourselves to get them but I know that on his property we can't just break the cats out, we will end up in the wrong and arrested in France. It is blackmail and I don't have enough time to get the legal help I need to fight him. My partner believes that he is bluffing about killing the cats but how can we take that risk? I can't. In my eyes he has already killed one of my babies. Also, I want to take this further so no other cats and owners go through this again. I believe he has got away with making these sort of threats before to other people and he must be stopped. He tried to say on the phone that this is all my fault but I know I tried to do the right thing and he obstructed. I just wish I could bring my Baby back, she was so special to me.
I also now believe that right from the beginning it was all lies and they just wanted to extract money from us. They obviously do not care one bit for cats. I am terrified that we will loose the other two, I can't sleep and keep crying. I am also pregnant and have a 9 month old baby to look after so the stress is not good at all.
Tomorrow I will try the solicitor route again, maybe a letter from them would prevent him hurting the cats? I feel like we don't have many options. He refused to tell me the name of the vets they use which again seems very suspicious to me.
If anyone has any advice please help, I am at the end of my tether. I don't speak French otherwise I would ring all of his local vets to find out what has happened, as I am the owner surely they would have to tell me. I am also worried that he wouldn't bother paying to have the cats put to sleep and just make them feral but they would suffer so much and I would never know.
Thanks in advance for any replies, I am very grateful. Sorry it is so long.
xx
