Meerkat that student stole to keep as pet escaped and froze to death

A student stole a meerkat from a wildlife park to have “as a pet” – but the terrified animal escaped and was found frozen to death. Adam Catherick, 19, took the animal from Wingham Wildlife Park in Canterbury, Kent last December. He stuffed the six-year-old meerkat into his girlfriend Debbie Smith’s rucksack before they both left.

Folkestone magistrates heard how back at home he put the scared animal into a dog cage. It howled to be let out and eventually escaped through a cat flap, but was found frozen to death nearby days later. Julie Farbrace, prosecuting, said Catherick tried to sell the meerkat and that when police, acting on a tip-off, raided Smith’s home in Sandwich, Kent, they found cannabis plants.



She said: “At the park visitors are allowed to stroke the meerkats and he thought it would be nice to have one as a pet.” The defence said: “He saw the meerkats on TV. He didn’t intend to steal one.” Adjourning sentencing until June 2, magistrates told jobless Catherick, who admitted theft: “If you hadn’t taken the meerkat it would be alive today.”

Wingham Park owner Tony Binskin said: “We’re often complimented on the way people can get so close to the meerkats and now that might be taken away.” Catherick’s mother Jane spoke up for her son, saying: “Adam knows what he did was wrong, but it was a spur of the moment thing. He wouldn’t hurt a fly and loves animals.”