'We got our hopes up': Cambridge couple tricked into thinking their lost cat was found
UPDATE: Ozzy was thankfully found and safely returned to his owners. Read that story here.
A Cambridge couple, who lost their cat Ozzy, said they were tricked into believing he was found.
On May 22 the two-year-old Bengal cat snuck out of their home in the middle of the night.
Ozzy's owners, Amanda Casella and Brandon Duxbury, said he's mostly an indoor cat and rarely ventures outdoors.
"He's never been unsupervised outside," she explained. "He's always been with us and only in our backyard."
The couple noticed Ozzy was missing the following morning. They began canvassing the neighbourhood every day, putting up posters and asking for the public's help on social media groups.
"We are very worried because he does have a heart condition and he requires medicine," said Duxbury. "So it's even more nerve-wracking."
Ozzy the cat in an undated photo. (Provided by: Amanda Casella and Brandon Duxbury)
The couple were then contacted on Thursday by someone who said Ozzy had been found.
But the conversation turned sour after they demanded a cash reward and threatened to sell Ozzy if the couple didn't pay up.
"We said we'd give him a reward if he can give us proof that he does have our cat," said Casella. "He still wouldn't. It was really sad and heartbreaking because we got our hopes up."
That's when the person told the couple to "go away" and then stopped replying to their messages.
They realized that they were misled and Ozzy was still missing.
"I was pretty disappointed that a human could do that to somebody that is grieving their missing pet," said Duxbury. "I just felt sick to my stomach."
The couple then reported the incident to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
Vanessa Iafolla, an anti-fraud consultant, said the couple did the right thing by not paying out the reward.
"Don't give anybody any money unless you are 100 per cent certain of what it is that you are getting and why you're giving them money."
Casella and Duxbury said they'll continue to search for Ozzy. Since he's been microchipped, they're hoping the person who finds him will turn Ozzy over to their local humane society or reached out to them directly.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
Suter scores late goal, clinches series for Canucks
Pius Suter scored with 1:39 left and the Vancouver Canucks advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs with a 1-0 victory over the Nashville Predators on Friday night in Game 6.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Quebec man who threatened Trudeau, Legault online sentenced to 20 months in jail
A Quebec man who pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.