The Erie Zoo has announced that Wendy, sand cat passed away Sunday morning. Wendy had been showing signs of decline during their morning breakfast. Wendy was 9 years old which is past the life expectancy rate of her species. She had been at the Erie Zoo since 2017.
Veterinarian and animal care staff tended to Wendy. From scans they found she had a fractured thoracic spine that would continue to decline her condition. Staff are uncertain how Wendy sustained her injury and that their habitat had been checked, and no areas have been found to be a safety risk.
The staff made the difficult but humane decision to euthanize Wendy.
“The Erie Zoo family, and especially Wendy’s animal care team, are deeply saddened by this tragic and unexpected loss. Wendy showed no signs of injury, illness, or distress in the days prior to this event,” said Roo Kojancie, President and CEO.
Conversations have been had between the Zoo and the Sand Cat SSP about adding additional cats male or female to the already established sand cat group but no timeline has been established.