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Pet shops in Japan, particularly ones in big cities, tend to get a lot of walk-in traffic in the evenings. As people walk by on their way home from work or errands, many of them will have their eye caught by a cute canine or fluffy feline through the window glass, and stop in to ooh and aah at them for a while, even if they’re not ready to commit to bringing an animal companion home just yet.
So odds are 36-year old Chie Yano didn’t attract much attention when she walked into a pet store in Kyoto’s Ukyo Ward a little before 7 p.m. on Wednesday. Nor did she attract much attention when she left. What did cause a commotion, however, was when it was discovered she’d secretly taken one of the animals with her.
Specifically, it was a Norwegian Forest cat that was missing, and when the shop staff noticed its absence, they called the police. Less than an hour later, officers spotted Yano, holding the cat (which was unharmed) while walking along a street near her home in Nakagyo Ward.
According to the police, Yano waited until none of the clerks were looking, then opened up the door of the cat’s enclosure and taken it with her. However, she insists that she did not steal the cat, because, in her words:
“This is a cat I found before and took home with me, so this isn’t stealing.”
It’s unclear whether Yano simply found a stray and brought it back to her place for a night before it ran off, or whether she was its caretaker for an extended period of time. If it’s the former, her claim of ownership is shaky at best, and if it’s the latter, that raises the issue of how the pet shop came to be in possession of the animal. Then there’s the matter of how reliably Yano can visually differentiate the stray that she claims to have previously found from other cats of the same breed.
But even if it does turn out that Yano has a sound claim that she’s the rightful owner of the cat, the police still don’t look favorably on private citizens taking the resolution of custody claims into their own hands like this, especially since the cat is valued at 280,000 yen, and so she’s been placed under arrest for theft, even if she’d classify it as a rescue.
Source: The Sankei News via Jin
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- External Link
- https://soranews24.com/2020/06/19/kyoto-woman-arrested-for-stealing-cat-from-pet-shop-offers-strange-justification-to-police/
26 Comments
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sir_bentley28
Just think of how many months of rent you can pay with that amount of money Or what you can buy to benefit yourself. Or how many children you can feed! I mean, I love cats, but 280,000en for a cat? That cat will stay right there! I can go to a pet shelter!
Mirai Hayashi
280,000 for a damn cat...come to my neighborhood, there are cats all over ficken place...you can take one -or how many you like home for free!
Zaphod
Always wondered what a "crazy cat lady" is. Guess this one would fit?
William Bjornson
"deciduous amount"? Anyway, "Stinky" was two days from death from starvation near my home in Hiroshima-shi when I managed to lure her inside with a bowl of milk. That was 18 years before she died in Oregon. Her daughter "Henna-chan" (nervous disorder) passed two years later. Her son "Charlie" (moustache) was lost earlier in Chicago, a place at least as uncivilized and primitive as NYC. And her grandchildren still live in Nihon. And sadness descends upon me with the memories...
juminRhee
Why are pet shops even allowed and breeders? Animals should be given out for free to get them off the streets. And if overpopulated, here's an idea - stop breeding them. I can't say spay or neuter if overpopulated because my cat is giving me a dirty look that says "humans breed like crazy and are overpopulated too...humans first."
Brian Wheway
£2000 for a cat? In the words of John McEnrow "you cant be serious"
Tom Young
Found your significant other in a homeless shelter, did ya? Some folks choose animals because they like the breed just like most folks choose mates because there's something appealing about them. Not all breeders are bad.
garypen
The best cat I ever had was a pregnant stray I picked up outside my apartment many many years ago. Unfortunately, she died 6 years later of kidney failure. But, I had kept one of the kittens, and had her for 15 years. She was also a great cat.
Every cat I've ever had was a rescue, either from a shelter or the street. And, 2 of the 3 dogs I've had were also rescues.
While I can't help but enjoy the cuteness of the puppies and kittens in the pet shops and home centers here, it angers me to see them kept in those little glass enclosures and sold for 20 or 30 man yen, when there are so many stray and abused animals in need of homes that can be had for free or almost free.
It's so odd how many things are missing or sparse here that are commonplace and plentiful in most other first world nations, such as public litter bins, park benches, and animal shelters. (Or, things that have mostly disappeared in the first world that still exist here, like fax machines, flip phones, and rampant sexism.)
garypen
American Shorthair is the official name of the breed, worldwide. It has nothing to do with Japan or how much it costs to purchase one.
Jonathan Prin
Isn'it now banned in UK not to propose stray cats in pet shops ?
It shall be the rule everywhere.
I paid for my cats only the vaccines and the sterilisation
The once stray mother and her son are doing well.
Mable
I have been very critical of these shops and how Japanese view animals. Japanese society is extremely materialistic, so it is no surprise that they often treat their animals like a piece of jewellry from Cartier. Instead of giving a stray cat, which will be killed after being captures, a new home, they prefer to pay high end prices for a young, cute kitten.
Goodlucktoyou
My for has a tattoo and microchip. All cats and dogs in pet shops and breeders should be chipped by law.
konjo4u
The cat isn't saying. Or maybe no Norwegian translator was available.
Chelsea
My Norwegian Forest cat was a stray. I couldn't believe such a beautiful kitten was living on the streets. We put up posters and put it on the radio but no one claimed him. He lived until 16 years old. He was my best friend.
Tom Doley
By now, the police should be accustomed to ‘strange’ justifications because every criminal in Japan comes up with one.
Yubaru
Long story short version here;
Does this make any sense now?
Harry_Gatto
Is it blue? Pining for the fjords perhaps?
Vince Black
Nut case. People like her shouldn’t be allowed outside without strict supervision
commanteer
It's a pretty strange crime to begin with - hard to imagine a "normal" justification.
Tatiana Robbins
Japan charges a deciduous amount for cats and dogs. They really need to reevaluate this system.
RealCDN
Norwegian Forest cat - a very nice breed, not far removed from nature (yet). And for those that know animals such as dogs or cats, the realization would be there that a 'stray' (although nice in theory to 'adopt') may not be suitable for the owner/lifestyle, etc.
So, it is best to research breeds carefully so a proper 'fit' is established. A stray may work out, or it may not. It would be great if they all did, but I know that sometimes a stray can cause a lot of grief for a new 'owner', oftentimes leading to the stray becoming a stray again.
Yubaru
No, It's an actual cold weather breed of cat!
https://www.lifeinnorway.net/norwegian-forest-cat/
Yubaru
Personally speaking anyone that is going to spend this much money on a cat, or any pet, should have their head examined!
There are literally thousands of strays all over this country and instead of having them killed just because they are alive, is black eye on society here! Pick one off the street and give it a home! They will love you for it!
(I know, I've done it! )
The proverbial "greeders" abound here, and it's people who buy these animals that keep them in business!
Random
Norwegian Forest cat? Is this another made up name in Japan like the American Shorthair for a simple tabby? So now instead of 50 bucks it costs a couple grand.
kurisupisu
Is it really possible for anyone to own a cat?
I see plenty of them walking around and no concerned police anywhere...