'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
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Manitoba mom praises quick-thinking fire department for freeing daughter stuck in playground equipment
A Manitoba mother is praising firefighters for their quick work in helping her daughter who got stuck at a playground in Lorette, Man.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.