Pet owners are being urged to check their insurance following a spate of cat disappearances.
The phenomenon of the Purrmuda Triangle should serve to demonstrate the importance of taking out adequate pet insurance, according to Sainsbury's Bank. The financial services provider said pet owners should ensure their policy covers the cost of advertising should their animal go missing.
It was reported recently that over the last eight years, some 45 cats have gone missing from just six streets in a suburban town in the West Midlands, leaving owners heartbroken and bewildered.
None of the animals have been seen again and no bodies have been found. People living in the area believe thieves are stealing the cats to make a profit from selling them on or breeding them.
Sainsbury's Bank points out that this is not an isolated incident. Its research shows that over one million animal lovers have had their dog or cat stolen over the past five years and only 39 percent of these have had their pets returned to them.
Neal Devine, Sainsbury's pet insurance manager, said owners should purchase an insurance policy that provides financial assistance to cover the cost of advertisements for missing pets and offers rewards for those who find them. "We think this should be covered as standard," he stressed.
