UPDATE: Juno's owner stated that Juno was found on the Longmont Lost and Found Pets Facebook page on Monday, June 6.
“Cat Lives Matter” and “Justice for Juno,” were among the chants heard on Tuesday afternoon during a protest on animal rights.
A group of about 15 protesters gathered on the corner of Fourth Avenue and Kimbark Street calling out for changes in local and state animal rights.
The protest came after one Longmont couple’s story about losing their cat to alleged animal violence circulated on the Longmont Lost and Found Pets Facebook page.
On May 8, Juno’s owners stated on Facebook, “Some neighborhood residents who live a few blocks away and are apparently fanatical cat haters caught our little cat sunning herself in their garden. Irate at the intrusion, the husband boxed her up and took her to an undisclosed location where he later admitted he ‘disposed of her permanently.’ It would be nearly impossible to prove, because he’s not willing to admit that to law enforcement (who are now involved) – but he did admit it to neighbors, and expressed no remorse.”
According to Kate Borowec, a neighbor of Juno’s owners and rally participant said she was there the day this happened. She said the incident was filed with the Longmont Animal Control and the Longmont Police Department, although it was ruled by LPD as “a he-said-she-said situation,” Borowec stated.
In the absence of legal action, the “Justice for Juno” protest was the result of community members wanting to spread awareness about the incident, “find out what happened to Juno and keep it from happening to other cats,” Borowec said.
Longmont resident Shane McPherson learned about Juno’s owners’ experience via the app Nextdoor and spearheaded the protest on Tuesday.
“It happened in my neighborhood and it just seemed like people were concerned — a little bit more than normal — and then it got pretty big when we realized nothing was being done,” McPherson said. “So I mentioned, ‘we have a right to go and have our voices heard.’”
According to McPherson, the protest was about “bringing attention to Juno,” which also carries a greater message regarding laws around animal control, he said.
Specifically, McPherson hopes the community’s engagement in this issue will help encourage Longmont to revisit its current laws around animal control. Those gathered hope the county will make it a lawful obligation for individuals who find lost dogs and cats to transport them, or call their local animal control or humane society to relocate the animal, he said.
“We’re … just looking for some accountability and that the community cares about this,” Mcpherson said.
“We as a community and we as a society need to have a conversation about what is ethical and what is acceptable as far as behavior towards our animals, particularly our pets, which we love dearly and consider parts of our families,” Borowec added.
The Longmont Leader reached out to Juno’s owners for comment on the incident but didn’t hear back from them in time for this article’s publication.
CORRECTION: This article has been altered to include a link to Longmont's current laws around animal control, instead of Boulder County's laws as previously published.
