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Snapchat video shows kids using Taser on kitten

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In Nassau County, Florida, a video posted to Snapchat showing kids using a Taser on a kitten and sent in to the media is now being investigated as an animal cruelty case. On Thursday, the video was sent to Nassau County Animal Services and has authorities searching for the two children involved in the inhumane act.

According to WftvNews, the video shows the two children using the Taser on the kitten and laughing as the cat is zapped. Officials believe the video was recorded in the Timber Creek Plantation neighborhood in Yulee. Concerned citizens have been coming forward and allegedly have identified the kids shown in the video.

County Commissioner Justin Taylor, along with other community members are shocked to see any innocent pet being treated so cruelly.

“To see an animal who is harmless and has not done anything to be treated that way , it’s cruel,” stated Mr. Taylor.

“Who was standing  there videoing this? That’s the other question,” asked local resident Michele Higham.  “Who would allow children to do this and think it’s funny? The damage is done, not only physically, but mentally to that cat.”

Why do these children have a Taser? Where are their parents?

(Photo and video via CbsNews from Snapchat)

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Video: Warning … may not be suitable for all audiences

Tattoo artist under fire after inking pattern onto leg of tiny kitten

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A tattoo artist is currently under fire from animal advocates throughout the world after inking a pattern onto the leg of a tiny kitten and posting the video to social media. The man has since apologized, and the four-month-old kitten has been sent to an animal rescue organization.

According to People’s Daily Online, the man who goes by the nickname of “Qiangzi,” has owned and operated a tattoo shop in Jining, China’s Shandong Province for the last seven years.  The video had photos of the tattoo including the Chinese character “endurance” tattooed to its right foreleg. Qiangzi stated he gave the kitten anesthesia after he shaved off the fur on her leg, and that he had used a semi-permanent ink on an eyebrow brush that was plant based and would not harm the kitten.

In the report from the Daily Mail, Qiangzi stated the tattoss will fade out as the kitten’s skin changes over time. He also alleged to using precise doses of anesthesia as per a veterinarian’s standard and was very careful as an overdose could have killed the animal.

After posting the video on Weibo (equivalent to Facebook in the US), the comments criticized the artist repeatedly asking if the kitten gave him permission to pen her with a tattoo? Qiangzi has since deleted his account and apologized, however screenshots of the tattoos on the kitten have continued to circulate throughout social media – few trying to protect the artist’s feelings and decisions.

The kitten is now in the care of the Zhangying Stray Animal Rescue and is receiving care until she is adopted. Her wounds are fading as her fur grows back. She is a lucky little kitten with everyone  knowing her life will be better from now on.

(Photos of tattoo artist inking kitten via Zhangying Stray Animal Rescue via Daily Mail)

 

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Staten Island man tortures neighbor’s cat and posted gruesome video on social media

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A Staten Island man videoed himself torturing his neighbor’s cat in his Arthur Avenue apartment, and then posted the gruesome video on Facebook. Tyrike Richardson, 21, is shown on the June 29 recording dropping a chair on a cat and waving a knife in front of the cat’s face while the defenseless animal swipes at the weapon in order to save its own life. Richardson is then seen jamming a long stick into the motionless cat’s belly and face.

According to SI Live, Richardson was arrested on Thursday and charged with aggravated cruelty to an animal and torturing and not feeding an animal. The cat, a two-year-old male named Chester who belongs to Richardson’s neighbor suffered multiple injuries including blunt force trauma, rib fractures, live and kidney injuries and injuries to his lungs.

Chester is currently in the care of the ASPCA.

Richardson’s criminal record dates back to when he was 14-years-old.

(Photos of Staten Island man arrested for torturing cat screenshots via SILive)

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WARNING: Extremely graphic video of an innocent cat being abused:

 

 

 

Miami hotel clerk arrested for killing popular stray cat

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Miami Beach detectives believe they have found the person responsible for fatally shooting a dart into the head of a popular stray cat adored by hotel employees as well as the former owner of the hotel. Arrested on Tuesday, was Georgios Lollias, 36, a night clerk at the Franklin Hotel, who allegedly killed the cat on April 26 because the current management believed stray cats were a nuisance.

The cat is one of four that lived behind the Franklin Hotel on Collins Avenue and had been taken care of  by the hotel’s former owner who  offered a $20,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of  the responsible person(s).

After the cat was  found, he was rushed to Dr. Rachael Johnson, a veterinarian at VCA Alton Road Animal Hospital. Strushi suffered terribly as the arrow penetrated behind one of his eyes and came out his mouth. Rescue staff said the cat was non-responsive upon arrival. Sadly, Strushi had to be humanely euthanized.

Georgios was arrested after U.S. Secret Service helped the Miami Beach police review surveillance footage at the time of the incident. It is believed Georgios is in the United States illegally. A Facebook post by Mike Grieco for Miami Beach mayor issued the following statement:

“… Through a search warrant, detectives had previously obtained video evidence from the hotel’s security cameras. They suspected that images of the crime may have been deliberately deleted. They enlisted the assistance of computer forensic recovery specialists in the U.S. Secret Service’s Miami Electronic Crimes Task Force, and with their assistance, the perpetrator was identified.

Mr. Lollias is charged with Animal Cruelty, a 3rd Degree Felony, and Tampering with Physical Evidence, a 3rd Degree Felony. The investigation into this matter continues, and other arrests may be possible in the future… Needless to say, this arrest is a significant success for our criminal investigators. More needs to be done on the case, but we can all be proud of their effort and success to date.”

Rest in peace Strushie. We hope you find some justice.

Photos of cat impaled by arrow courtesy of Miami Beach Police

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Read the previous article here.

Katy Perry under fire for promoting animal cruelty in advertisement.

Doggy language: How to tell your dog ‘I love you’ so he understands

 

 

Holiday surrender day for unwanted pets at North Carolina shelter

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Most likely one of the saddest days for any pet is losing his home and the familu he has loved from the moment that special bond was formed. Wednesday was no different at the Charlotte Mecklenburg Animal Care & Control near Monroe, North Carolina as animal advocate and shelter volunteer Teresa Tucker shares the heartbreaking influx of owner surrenders just days before one of the most celebrated summer holidays. As told to Teresa by a fellow rescuer, their story begins as shared on social media:

“THIS IS WHY ANIMAL RESCUERS HATE HOLIDAYS!  Today is a surrender day before a holiday. The line at the shelter has been steady all morning. The giant schnauzer you see  (pictured) is being surrendered for anal sac issues. I started talking to the lady after introducing myself and after the front desk explained how full they are:

Me: What’s going on, why are you surrendering?
Her: He has an anal sac issue
Me: Have you seen a vet?
Her: Once
Me: Have you tried putting him on an appropriate diet? High fiber?
Her: I tried switching him to Rachel Ray.
Me: That’s not going to fix it. Would you consider trying another diet?
Her: No. I had to buy a new couch when he shot out the nastiness during a seizure.
Me: Oh, he has seizures. How often?
Her: I don’t know because I’m not always home.
Me: Weekly? Monthly? Quarterly?
Her: Quarterly. Are you going to take him or not?
Me: I don’t think I can find a foster very quickly with it being a holiday weekend.
Her: Well how much just to put him to sleep?
Me: Ma’am, that’s not necessary. These are fixable issues. Has he seen a vet?
Her: My sister works for the American Cancer Society
Me: I’m sure he’ll be okay here at the shelter
Her: Why? Can’t they just put him to sleep?
Me: Ma’am, I’m done here. ”

And the stories continued. Next came a woman who brought in two cats she told the shelter staff she “found” at the gym. Reluctant to show any identification and acting as if she had an important appointment she was missing, it only took a moment to spot both “stray” cats wore collars, and the woman happened to have a carrying crate at the gym. After doing some social media digging, a volunteer knew the cats were not strays.

Yet the morning continued with little compassion from other heartless owners. An owner surrendered his senior dog because his pet was “old and ill.” Although the shelter told the owner, the dog would most likely be euthanized, the man showed not a drop of emotion. And as the rescuer was preparing to leave after only an hour (two more hours left to surrender pets), a man holding a pit bull had grown tired of waiting in line, and as he walked out of the door of the shelter, he  stated he was just going to “let the dog go.” It was suggested the man return to the information desk and tell the staff what he planned to do, and maybe they would be able to assist him quicker.

Tragically, the majority of the pets surrendered were pit bull types, cats and senior dogs. Pet owners are urged to be responsible; spay and neuter. Commit to a life long relationship with your canine or feline friend, and don’t desert them in their most vulnerable time of their lives. Perhaps skip the lattes, skip a restaurant dinner or even one pair of shoes or a designer purse, and when it’s time to say goodbye, be there with your companion and reassure him that he is loved.

Finally, a personal message from this rescuer to all of the pet owners who treat their loyal four-legged companions as an inconvenience during the summer holidays. If not for the selfless volunteers who visit the shelters whenever they are able, the statistics of the Humane Society of the United States  citing about 2.4 million healthy, adoptable cats and dogs—about one every 13 seconds—are put down in U.S. shelters each year would likely be much higher.  Spay/neuter is a proven way to reduce pet overpopulation, ensuring that every pet has a family to love them.

“I was only there for an hour today and there are still 2 more surrender hours to go,” the rescuer lamented. “Knowing we can’t help because we are also inundated with returns (aka surrenders) and those dogs are taking spots that could have allowed us to pull more, just plain sucks. Next time you pick up a foster or need to utilize animal control, please go out of your way to thank these folks, bring them cookies or snacks, etc. Most importantly, continue to educate your friends and family that animal control is not the enemy. They only exist because these people do, and we live in a disposable society where people get rid of pets because they have vacations coming up.”

Don’t shop for your next best friend, adopt from a shelter. Spay and neuter. Report suspicions of animal cruelty, and be kind; be the gentle hand that tells a frightened shelter dog it will be alright as they go gently into the night with a glimmer of hope and a wagging tail.  The rescue person at the shelter was there to try and save dogs and to offer possible solutions and alternatives.

The schnauzer has since been rescued and will be receiving appropriate medical help.

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(Photo via Teresa Tucker on Facebook)

Read about the husky who had his own version of the mess he made while his family was away from home.

 

 

 

Teen finds 14-week-old kitten with her feet bound: Three of her paws fell off

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In Spring, Texas a young teenage boy made a disturbing discovery near the mailboxes in an apartment complex at FM 2920 and T.C. Jester of a kitten after three of her paws fell off. In an interview with AbcNews, the youngster named Brady and his friend were shocked when they spotted the defenseless kitten huddled near a wall on Friday.

“We walked into a room that had mailboxes and we saw the cat laying down by a wall. We picked it up; called my mom. We sent her a picture and then she said she’d be there in two minutes,” stated 14-year-old Brady.

And when the teen’s mother arrived, Leith Gottula said she was just heartbroken and didn’t think the kitten even stood a chance at surviving, and rushed the kitten to Stuebner Airline Veterinary Hospital. Dr. Max Heimlich was shocked at the abuse and called it the worst case of animal cruelty he had ever seen in his 40 years as a veterinarian as he described what probably happened. Someone had wrapped elastic hair ties repeatedly around the kitten’s paws.

“These are the bones that are sticking out. It would probably take anywhere from three to four maybe five weeks for this to occur to strangulate it and actually have the feet fall off,” Dr. Heimlich explained on the hospital’s Facebook page. “The kitten was able to get one of the ties off the left front leg. The other 3 feet fell off. We will have to amputate the back legs from the knee down and the front from the elbow down. We pray that this kitten will be able to compensate and have an incredible life with us.
The doctors are concerned that someone who could do this to a kitten could also do this or worse to a child. This is in the vicinity around the hospital and the Spring area.”

After the kitten’s feet heal, her legs must be amputated.

Dr. Heimlich will be taking the kitten home, and his staff will be caring for the kitten, now named Pogo. Check out her video, and see for yourself how sweet and gentle this little kitten seems to be. How anyone can be so cruel is beyond anyone’s comprehension, Get well soon Pogo; we hope you can live a full life despite the cruelty you have had to endure in the first months of your life.

Photos of kitten after three paws fell off via the Stuebner Airline Veterinary Hospital.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the HCSO at 713-755-6044.

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Video:

500 cats destined to be eaten at Chinese restaurants rescued

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In Beijing, China, 500 cats jammed mercilessly into tiny cages and intended to be part of the menu at Chinese restaurants were rescued this week. The man, identified only as Sun, was arrested on Sunday morning in the eastern Jiangsu province capturing stray cats and pets to sell to restaurants for 30 yuan ($4.40 each) reports the Strait Times.

Sun had been using sparrows and caged birds as bait to lure the cats. It was a journalist who supplied police with the information about a truck full of cats being sold. Many of the animals found were near death and faintly mewing in the heat. More cats and kittens were discovered in a makeshift hut near the highway. In the hut, different colored cats had been crowded into metal cages with a fan turned on to keep them from dying in the heat.

When a villager named Yang complained to police someone had been stealing his pets including his cat who had been nursing her five kittens, the authorities had launched an investigation and were led to where the cats were being held. It is not known if Yang ever found his cat and the kittens. Police stated if no one came forward to claim their pets, all of the cats would be treated and freed.

China statistics for killing dogs and cats for food are still extremely high; thousands and thousands are bludgeoned to death for the annual dog meat and lychee festival in Yulin. Claims that the cruel  practice has been stopped is still debatable. Every year more than ten million dogs and four-million cats are killed for their meat. Taiwan recently became the first Asian country to outlaw eating dogs and cats. Read more of that story here.

(Photo of 500 cats rescued via screenshot from Strait Times)

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Read about the Lab surrendered by her family and the child told to take a photo to remember her.

 

Animal advocates allege animal abuse in ‘cat vs scorpion’ video

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Animal advocates have taken exception to a YouTube video showing cats being attacked by a large scorpion; calling the potential deadly encounter animal abuse. A police complaint was filed in Bankok on Friday against Nate Bartling, who goes under the title of “My Mate Nate.” Bartling is a former Mormon missionary who rose in fame in Thailand for his tasteless “prank videos.” His online presence had been scarce after a video showing the cruel torture of a fish which made him one of the most disliked characters on social media. And then he’s back!

According to SinarOnline,  Nutch Prasopsin, the administrator of “Toon Hua Khong Bao,” a popular website (Kingdom of Tigers) with animal lovers, (especially cats) filed the complaint alleging animal abuse for exposing the cats to a venomous scorpion. Police official, Lt-Colonel Kampol Ratanaprateep agrees the video was an act of animal cruelty, even though Bartling has argued the scorpion was not poisonous; a medical specialist stated the venom could kill a cat.

On her website and Facebook page, Nutch called on animal lovers to show their force against acts of cruelty against animals. The controversial YouTube video “Cat vs scorpion: Who will win?”, was posted three days ago and has garnered over a million views. Most of the comments condemned his actions with Nutch posting an open letter to him stating:

“As a person who loves cats, I cannot tolerate or accept uncouth acts involving animals in these clips. I want you to take full responsibility as the owner of guardian of the cat(s) that you have used or may use in your clips.”

Bartling has lived in Thailand for three years, claiming he “never went to university. I only finished high school. It’s hard to believe his fame of “prank videos” that make fun and humiliate other people are so famous. If found guilty of animal cruelty, Bartling faces a maximum fine of $1,100 or up to two years in prison.

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(Photo via screenshot Thai PBS)

 

WARNING: The following video is disturbing and may not be suitable for all viewing audiences.

 

 

Outrage over live kittens put inside claw machine

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Instead of pulling stuffed toys out from a claw machine, a Chinese shop has caused outrage throughout social media which lets players scoop up a real live kitten inside of the machine. In China, the claw machine games are very popular, and in this particular “amusement park” five kittens just a few weeks old were the prizes.

One of the videos showed three black and white kittens inside the machine as a man dropped a coin and used his skill to grab one of the kittens. An attached sticker near the funnel stated, “Master, bring me home.” The one kitten looked scared as the “claw” moved near her, but when it hit her neck, the claw missed and failed to pick here up. According to the Daily Mail, the video was originally posted on April 9 and went viral on Chinese social media. It is suggested that the filming took place in one of the Chinese cities, according to Chung Tien TV. Another video showed even younger kittens inside the machine as a woman tried to snag one – she missed and complained the machine was rigged!

When the video initially circulated, a few social media comments thought the action was “cute.” Not long after that however, people became more and more irate stating the machine “claws” were never intended to pick up live animals – much less defenseless kittens. One person commenting may have summed up the entire disturbing debacle with the following words:

“Omg I have never seen such a pathetic thing in my whole life, like who the hell thought that would be a good idea? I would slap that person and put him in that freaking machine.”

Photos of kittens in claw machine via shots captured from You Tube.

Wouldn’t we all? Watch the video here:

 

 

Heartbreaking cruelty: Cat found impaled by arrow

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Police are searching for the person who impaled a cat with a sharp object and an arrow early on Wednesday morning. The heartbreaking cruelty was discovered by a hotel employee on the 800 block of Collins Court in Miami Beach, who found the yellow cat with an arrow through his head and another sharp object sticking out of his neck. According to Channel 7News, the frightened and fatally injured cat had been hiding under a dumpster.

The cat is one of four that live behind the Franklin Hotel on Collins Avenue and have been taken care of  by the hotel’s former owner who is now offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of  the responsible person(s). It was Georgio, a hotel employee who found the cat named Strush hiding.

“I hear, ‘meow, meow,’ so, over here, right here,” Giorgio said. “You see – look, look – you see the blood right here, right there. He had an arrow in the head.”

The cat was rushed to Dr. Rachael Johnson, a veterinarian at VCA Alton Road Animal Hospital. Strush suffered terribly as the arrow penetrated behind one of his eyes and came out his mouth. Rescue staff said the cat was non-responsive upon arrival. Sadly, Strush had to be humanely euthanized.

Miami Beach detectives are looking for the person or people behind the animal cruelty. Anyone with information is urged to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. Help Strush find justice.

Photos of cat impaled by arrow courtesy of Miami Beach Police

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