Miami man says animal rescue has his beloved cats Nessa and Nori, he wants them back

COCONUT GROVE, Florida – (UPDATE: Bella’s Promise has responded to our inquiries. See their statement at the end of the story.)

Jordana Schwartz, 5, and her brother Leo Schwartz, 6, said they miss Nessa and Nori, their neighbor’s two cats.

Their father, Corey Schwartz, said Jordana and Leo asked him when the cats would come back and it hurt him not to have an answer for them.

“My kids love them,” Schwartz said.

“We are worried because the last few days they weren’t around and he missed them a lot,” Leo said of Jordana’s habit of playing with cats every day.

Nessa and Nori were well known at Peppertree Village, the resort where the Schwartz family live in Coconut Grove, Miami. Jessie Liebling, the owner of the cats, also lives there and has had them since they were kittens. He too felt anguish after Nessa and Nori did not show up for breakfast.

Liebling said she saved a pregnant cat from her property in the Redland area of ​​Miami-Dade County. Nessa and Nori were among six of her babies. Liebling said he found safe homes for her and the other four kittens, but decided to raise Nessa and Nori.

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“I consider them to be my pets. They were at home with me every day, indoors, outdoors, in my garage, in my backyard, ”Liebling said. “They have become loved by my neighbors.

Liebling searched for them and searched for them when they disappeared. Advocacy on a community app helped Liebling know where they were. A woman said she picked up the cats and took them to Bella’s Promise Pet Rescue.

“I was shocked,” Liebling said. “My first thought is, ‘Thank goodness they’re safe!’ My next thought was, “I’ll get my cats back!”

Liebling said she spoke to Yesenia “Jesse” Perez, co-founder of Bella’s Promise Pet Rescue.

“She was very cooperative, friendly with me,” Liebling said. “I support what they are doing.”

He said Perez later told him that Nessa and Nori had already been abandoned for adoption in out of state homes. Liebling said he didn’t know exactly where his cats were.

“Basically what they tell me is that because the cat was not chipped, I have no rights in the cat,” Liebling said. “I sent them pictures, I sent them medical records from the moment I first received them, their surgeries, their vaccines, their medications. “

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At first, Liebling said he felt Perez was going to find a way to get the cats back, but on Friday their communication stopped.

“I just want them to come home,” Liebling said. “I will immediately correct my mistakes as to why this happened in the first place. I just want my pets.

Corey Schwartz and his children said Bella’s Promise Pet Rescue needed to bring Nessa and Nori back to Liebling since the cats had not been neglected or abused. It is not fair for someone else to claim otherwise, he said.

“They shouldn’t be the judge and the party on what happens to cats,” said Corey Schwartz.

Liebling still hopes to be able to see Nessa and Nori again, just like the Schwartz family. He said he knew if his cats had been chipped the rightful owner would have been found. He admitted his mistakes and said he would do better.

“I hope that with the help of you and the community, I will bring my pets home,” said Liebling.

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Bella’s Promise Pet Rescue Statement:

“There are two community cats at ear tips in foster homes with Bella’s Promise Pet Rescue that match the description of those referenced in the article published by Channel 10 Miami. These two cats were fed outside by the finder for weeks before she brought them to the foster home. They were thin, extremely friendly, and covered in fleas by the time she first found them. She posted on local “found” websites trying to find their community cat feeder and scanned a microchip (there isn’t one).

She looked after them outside for several weeks, providing them with flea treatment and food. She also said they were extremely friendly cats who tried to get into people’s cars and became a nuisance to other residents. We understand that the cats in question were raised indoors and released outdoors due to allergies.

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The Miami Dade Ordinance Code does not require any mandatory microchips, sterilization, or registration for cats, nor does it specifically distinguish between a “owned cat” or a “community cat.” There is a voluntary registration program for owner-owned cats, and it seems legal to allow unchipped cats to roam freely. There does not appear to be any language in the ordinance establishing ownership of community cats, nor a distinct nature of “community” cats from “owner” cats other than the voluntary registration program. There also does not appear to be an established procedure for rehousing “community cats”.

(Bella’s Promise provided links below)

https://library.municode.com/fl/miami_-_dade_county/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIIICOOR_CH5ANFO

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Miami Dade Animal Services recognizes that “Community Cats” are Free Stray, Spayed and Ownerless Stray Cats and provides links on their website to encourage spaying of Free Stray Cats. Cats in the community are provided with an ear tip at the time of sterilization to mark them as sterilized. Often the cats in the community are not socialized (also known as “ferals”) and do not like to interact with humans. Some cats in the community are friendly.

(Bella’s Promise provided links below)

https://www.miamidade.gov/global/product.page?Mduid_product=prod1481558920690645

https://www8.miamidade.gov/global/product.page?Mduid_product=prod1509711841431638

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The gentleman stating that the two community ear-tipped cats found documented with photos that he had them as kittens (or matching kittens) in his home, and provided photos taken outside that match their description. He provided sterilization papers for two cats at a veterinary clinic; however, these recordings may or may not be of the two cats as there is no mention that they were at ear-tip.

The two cats in question were treated for worms and inserted with a Bella’s Promise microchip.

All cats with a Bella’s Promise chip must have this chip transferred to the owner by 1) completing the paperwork; and 2) registration with the local county. Bella’s promise demands that adopted cats be kept indoors. This is an unprecedented situation for the rescue because the property is called into question before the insertion of the electronic chip. However, the microchip has been inserted and the cats cannot be released until there is an agreement and transfer of microchip registration for these cats to become “possessed” cats through Miami Dade Animal Services.

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We received an Instagram message from Jason Liebling and responded to him with the intention of working out the details today.