This is awful!!!!!

[kc65]

I could not sleep a wink last night and hope I don't offend anyone. I work with a volunteer group that rescues cats and we get them adopted at petsmart etc.... anyway, we also feed and take care of a colony of cats in which for the last 5 years have never had a problem, no deaths etc..

Well friday night a white cat was found dead, no signs of injury. We get a call Saturday and someone who feeds found 2 more dead cats. I get a call last night from the lady who runs it and found 2 more de-gutted cats ( sorry). Seems the cats who were the friendliest were killed 1st. I am just sickened. We have called the police and media.

All out volunteers are out right now trying to get as many as they can. Some will stay in my garage until we re-locate them.

How sick can people be?!

Another colony in another county had 3 dozen of theres killed so maybe a copycat killer??!

I just had to vent and hope I did not offend anyone. I just don't get why anyone would hurt innocent animals.

 

[adymarie]

I hope those horrible people are caught and punished!

 

[katl8e]

Halloween is coming and a lot of wannabe Satanists are crawling out of their holes. Some shelters will not adopt out black or white animals, during the month of October, because of this. I hope that they catch the sickos, who are doing this.

 

[sicycat]

Oh my god that is so sad..

I hope they catch these sickos!!

 

[valanhb]

OMG, that is just horrible!!! Just so you know, according to Florida statute 828.12 et seq. this is a felony.

Taken from our summary of cruelty legislature (http://straypetadvocacy.org/html/cru...t.html#Florida):

Intentional Animal Cruelty is defined as: “commits an act to any animal which results in the cruel death, or excessive or repeated infliction of unnecessary pain or suffering.†This is a 3rd Degree Felony with a fine up to $10,000 and/or imprisonment up to 5 years. Intentional Cruelty with “knowing and intentional torture or torment of an animal that injures, mutilates, or kills the animal†carries a minimum fine of $2500 and completion of a psychological or anger management treatment program. A second conviction of the same carries a minimum fine of $5,000 and minimum 6 months incarceration, with no parole or early release available.

Please be sure to let whatever police and media people that you are in contact know about the severity of this crime according to the statutes. They may not be aware of these provisions.

I'm going to move this to SOS since that's really where this belongs.

 

[lotsocats]

I am nauseated and heart broken. I can't imagine how much agony you and your friends must be in right now. I pray that the evil people committing these hideous acts will be caught immediately.

 

[creepyowl]

That is just terrible. I can't believe anyone could harm any animal like that. I hope they get caught. I also hope you can save all the other kittens and keep them safe.

 

[kc65]

Thanks so much for the info. I had called the police on Saturday and my Director was not pleased because she is afraid that when the media gets ahold of it , it will attract more sickos. She has not called them back to let them know about the ones last night that were gutted. I think she needs to report these last two.

I have 9 in my garage that they were able to catch with the net and I am going back to help tonight to capture some more.

One volunteer said there are 2 bums (man and lady) who had a tent in these woods and put 2 cats in it and set it on fire. They had not seen these bums in a while since that , well now she said she saw these 2 bums in and around this area. I wish they would tell the police to question these 2 people but they said you have to prove it! ACK!!!

 

[purrfectcatlove]

OMG how sick

Maybe you need to give the police the info about the bums , then they can look in to that .

Prayers comming my way for catching all the cats there .

And I do hope they get those SOB asap

OMG

 

[valanhb]

Since when do civilian have to prove a crime for the police to investigate individuals? Sorry, but that is the police's JOB! I don't think they are scared that the media attention will attract more sickos, I think they don't want to be held accountable for these particular crimes. Give them the information on the bums, with the fire incident and timing being more than a little coincidental.

I don't mean to pass judgement on your local police, I just have a bad reaction to how the cops in my area treated the mutilation of many cats (the conclusion was the foxes did it, with surgical precision and leaving the dead cats on people's doorsteps beheaded

).

 

[kc65]

I just called the police and reported the other two crimes against the cats and told them about the bums. I least I can have a better conscious for doing everything I could possibly do to protect these innocent little animals.

I know one volunteer said she thinks a wild boar attacked them but that does not explain the 2 others that did not have a mark on them?!

 

[lotsocats]

Wild Boars are pretty aggressive animals, but they are also VERY noisy. There is no way a cat (especially a feral) would let a huge, smelly, noisy animal come anywhere near it! But, a cat who is used to being fed by humans would likely come to a person who is calling sweetly and holding out food.

I hope the police get off their butts and do something about this!

 

[purrfectcatlove]

I am glad you called the police and told them about the other 2 cats and the bums . What did they say to you after you told them ???

 

[kc65]

The Officer just listened and said he would notify animal control. I would think the police would handle this since it is such a horrific crime?

 

[purrfectcatlove]

Hmmmmm , I think you should have filed a report then it would be documented . What can animal control do

.... the only thing what they do is try to catch the animals and thats it ... You still can file a report if you want to .
But in the mean time , cops talk to each other and so spread the word . They may even check the area a little more then usualy . And that would help to . When the bums or who ever done that see the cops more often they usualy try not to be there .
If that is done by a busness , the store manager or boss can ask for more fruequent check ups there . And Police have to respont to that . That means that like normaly the only check there once , now with that request they may check up to 7 time depenting how much they have to do .Be sure that keeps the crime more away .

Vanhb I am so sorry that the police don't care where you are and want you to know that not all cops are that way . I know for a fact that here where I live they care and we have a lot of cops who are animal lovers them selfs . My husband is a cop here in town and gets very absad when there is animal cruelty involved . A lot of times it depents on what your law has to say about things and the cops hands are bound to that . And hate to say that , but it is true . The laws need to be changed in a lot of ways .

 

[lotsocats]

Originally posted by KC65
The Officer just listened and said he would notify animal control. I would think the police would handle this since it is such a horrific crime?

We have the same problem here. The police don't want to do their jobs.

According to Florida law, this IS a crime and the police are mandated to report. It might take a lot of pushing to get them to do their job, but they MUST do something!

 

[purrfectcatlove]

That is so sad lotsocats

Maybe where you live there is a lot more crime with people and they just don't have enough man power to do all of it . I know it sucks , but when there is a robery thats where the cops go first and animal abuse second

. I agree it is not right and should be handled the same way like the other human crimes . As I said early , the law needs some changing .

 

[mzjazz2u]

This is horrible.

Unfortunately this is becomming common it seems. We've had trouble in Utah on and off and I know they have in Colorado too. At one point they said they thought it was wolves comming down from the mountains. I don't know.

I don't know about Florida but here in Utah, animal control IS the Sheriff's and visa versa. I know that isn't the case in every State though.

 

[kc65]

Well we went last night and got 2 more. I talked to a few business owners and told them to keep there eyes and ears open. We got 4 more this morning so we feel good that we have all the friendly ones. The ones still there will not come to the lady that has been feeding them for years so that made us feel a little better.

So I have 15 in my garage for now. Of course I am in love with all of them. Some are just dying for affection, I don't have enough hands to pet them all. Some are pretty scared. There is one little grey tiger boy who is blind in one eye who is already pulling on my heart strings

We are going to de-worm them all and we have given them all some "revolution" flea treatment. We will get there rabies next and they have all been spayed/nuetered. We are going to try to take most of these to Petsmart and hopefully get them adopted!!! Keep your fingers crossed.

I appreciate everyone for listening to this heart-breaking story but maybe the one good thing will be that some of these friendly cats will now have loving homes.

P.S. I thought it was odd that last night when we walked back through the colony that 90% of the cats left were all black. hmm..??

 

[purrfectcatlove]

I am happy for you how much you have catched yesterday and today . If the Lord is willing you will find homes for all of them . The others may be more save from that idiot , since they are more feral then the other once . Good luck in all .