Morganton says Serval Cat must go, owners and mayor plan to fight it

MORGANTON, NC (WBTV) - When Jon and Vivian Freed moved to Morganton last month, they had a problem.

Tyra, their 6 year old Serval Cat got scared and ran off. For two days they looked for the 40-pound cat that has markings like a leopard until a neighbor spotted the animal in bushes.

The reunion made the news and got people talking about the exotic animal the Freeds have as a pet. It also attracted the attention of local animal control officers and public safety officers too.

It's why on Tuesday Jon and Vivian received a letter from the police chief telling them the cat had to go. Public Safety Chief Ronnie Rector told the family that having Tyra in the city limits was in violation of a local ordinance prohibiting exotic animals.

"We were devastated," says Vivian about the moment when they opened the letter. They were told they had until September 28th to move Tyra out of the city limits.

Jon, though, has other ideas. "We will take on City Hall," he says. It turns out they have a strong ally in that battle. Mayor Mel Cohen stopped by the home on Tuesday to see for himself what the fuss was all about. "That cat is as tame as I am," said Cohen.

He thinks the ordinance banning exotic animals does have value in keeping the public safe but also believes it needs to be reworked to ban only animals that are deemed to be dangerous.

He doesn't think Tyra is. "She is declawed and they have had the cat since it was a kitten," he said. He also added that so far, there have been no complaints to the city about the animal.

Cohen says he will work to get a stay on the order to move the cat by the 28th and will suggest that City Council take up the matter of revising the ordinance at the very next meeting.

He told WBTV news that the humane thing is to keep the cat with its family in Morganton. "The cat does not need to go." In the meantime, the Freeds have started a petition drive online on Tyra's Facebook page.

The response already has been overwhelming, they say. "We are going to do what it takes," said Jon.

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