A conservation group has raised nearly £250,000 to help save a Scottish wildcat which was seized by police.
Finlay, a 17-month-old kitten, was said to be “close to death” by animal welfare group Wildcat Haven when it rescued him from the Scottish Highlands.
The organisation, headed up by scientist Dr Paul O’Donoghue, then took the animal – known as a Highland cat – to its Welsh base to nurse back to health.
But the organisation’s headquarters was raided by the police on February 14 with Finlay seized.
North Wales Police are currently investigating whether taking Finlay to Wales may have been a crime.
According to Scotland’s nature agency NatureScot, the capture, possession or release of a wildcat outside its native habitat range requires a licence, which Wildcat Haven is understood not to have.
The organisation had already raised over £30,000 to pay for an enclosure for Finlay through the Crowdfunder website before the police raid.
Since then the organisation have continued to raise funds and post updates about Finlay and its attempts to get him back.
Last month, it urged supporters to donate to their efforts to save all wildcats as well as to “get Finlay back”.
That separate Crowdfunder, due to close at the end of the month, has raised £200,000 towards a target of £250,000.
One donor, who gave £10 to the organisation, posted on the Crowdfunder website that she had “cried when I heard Finlay was taken away.”
Wildcat Haven, run by biologist Dr O’Donoghue and his wife Emily, described how it had been contacted by a couple who had found the kitten “weak, dehydrated and almost hypothermic” during a storm in October 2020.
It said that it feared for Finlay’s safety under Scotland’s right to roam laws if he had been rehabilitated here.
Meanwhile, more than 5500 people have signed a petition for police to return Finlay to Wildcat Haven.
The “Free Finlay” petition was launched by the conservation body last week.
It said that it had planned to release the cat back into the Scottish wild within weeks.
But now it feared the disruption “will be absolutely catastrophic to his rehabilitation. And with every day that passes, his chances of a successful return to the wild diminishes”.
A statement said: “Despite asking numerous times, the police still refuse to tell us where he (Finlay) is or how he is being cared for. We are so worried for his future and are absolutely heartbroken.
“We feel the police have potentially been misled and have acted on a malicious report.
“We can assure you that we have acted within the law at all times.”
Animal lovers have commented on the petition to “Free Finlay”.
One, signed Kirsty B. posted: “I’ve followed Finlay’s rescue and rehabilitation since he was first found as an orphaned wildcat kitten.
“I am desperately worried for his welfare since he was taken by the police in Wales...the trauma of that cannot be in the best interests of this poor wildcat.”
Dr Paul O’Donoghue couldn’t be contacted for comment. He had previously sued Green MSP Andy Wightman over a blog the politician had written. He lost the case.
O’Donoghue had claimed the posts contained false statements and damaged his firm’s reputation but failed in his attempt to get £750,000.
North Wales Police were contacted but did not respond.
A spokesperson for NatureScot said: “NatureScot is aware of an operation carried out by North Wales Police last month.
“We are assisting police with their inquiries and as these are ongoing we are unable to comment further at this time.”
Wildcats are native to Scotland with some experts saying there may be just an estimated 100 left in the wild.
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