DNA lifted off the carcasses of in Maple Ridge and 91原创 will not be sent to a lab for processing.

The B.C. SPCA has learned processing the genetic information will be costly.

Although the SPCA believes coyotes were mostly responsible for the spate of cat killings, it hoped DNA analysis would solve the mystery once in for all.

But after learning that processing would break their already stretched budget, Marcie Moriarty, general manager of cruelty investigations for the B.C. SPCA, said it decided not to go ahead with it.

鈥淲e felt it would not be reasonable to incur those costs simply to determine which species was involved,鈥� she said.

In June, the SPCA announced necropsies done on mutilated cats found in Maple Ridge and 91原创 revealed almost all were killed by another animal, quelling fears that a disturbed human was behind the grisly deaths.

Dr. Melinda Merck, a veterinary forensic expert, examined the remains of 30 animals 鈥� 20 cats, eight crows, one rabbit, one dog 鈥� found since May and determined all were attacked by a predator.

Merck believed coyotes were most likely responsible for the deaths and encouraged pet owners to keep cats and small dogs inside.

The SPCA, however, has yet to determine who placed cat parts in strange places.

In Maple Ridge, a cat鈥檚 head was left outside a school, another was placed on a porch and in a plastic bag. A tail was also found under a missing cat poster, while another was tacked to a fence.

The SPCA believes the animals were moved post-mortem and is working with the RCMP to find suspects.

The SPCA has not received any calls about new mutilations in either Maple Ridge or 91原创.

鈥淲e haven鈥檛 heard of any new cases. Maybe people aren鈥檛 reporting it but it鈥檚 been very quiet,鈥� said general manager Lorie Chortyk.

There are numerous new missing cat posters in Brookswood since the cluster of cat killings, so it appears the deaths aren鈥檛 being reported. Coyotes remain active.

鈥� with files from Monique Tamminga