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ANIMAL WATCH - Despite the wealthiest and most prominent animal-welfare organizations and institutions, including California’s U.C. Davis, demanding that animal shelters spay/neuter and release feral cats into communities all over the United States or cooperate with volunteer cat trappers in TNR (Trap/Neuter/Release Programs), news reports show that this has not been wise, nor humane.
The same organizations and individuals that thrive on donations for dogs must turn more of society’s attention toward enforcing mandatory early-age sterilization and protection of cats, which share the physical fragility of a child and are increasingly becoming victims of severe and deliberate brutality—possibly because TNR programs make them dependent and less guarded against strangers.
For starters, humane organizations and shelters need to move toward ending the release of feral cats—or any cats—to be in the streets, because nothing good is going to happen to them there. (See: The Great Outdoors—Not for Cats!--PETA)
This does not mean to totally stop feeding them in a safe place if they absolutely cannot be tamed and are already dependent, but it does mean putting a stop to developing programs to deliberately leave them unprotected outside—something that most cat lovers would never allow for their own pet.
Serious, sadistic crimes care easier to perpetrate on cats, which cannot protect themselves against the strength of a criminal or psychopath that has decided to kill or seriously harm a cat.
Feral cats left out on their own, even if in colonies, do not have the protection of a home and responsible owners and are increasingly victims of some of the most sadistic crimes and killing sprees perpetrated on any voiceless species which cannot protect itself. But, they are not alone in being victimized by a society that spends billions of dollars annually on alleged humane programs to protect animals, but counts on numbers and “noses out the door” at shelters for quotas, rather than the slow investigative process and follow-up that ensures quality of life.
Sadly, this trend is increasing across the U.S., with no ability to estimate the number of feline victims nor the extent of their suffering because, although they may be fed by a volunteer who cares for a feral-cat colony, they do not have a home.and are vulnerable to the most heinous evils of animal abuse. (SEE: The Great Outdoors—Not for Cats – PETA.)
CAT TRAPPING PROGRAMS DO NOT PROTECT THE ANIMALS
Cat-trapping, sterilization and release (TNR) programs are promoted throughout the U.S. and provide a rabies shot and other basic immunizations for a cat, with ear-tipping--a small cut at the top of the ear that identifies spay/neuter.
Yet, animal control agencies and volunteers in cities all over the country are opposing humane euthanasia for cats that were born in the streets, have formed NO bond with humans and are starving and suffering from illnesses and injuries and/or or becoming the victims of intentional violence.
The bodies of dead animals are usually picked up by street services, or rubbish collection, not animal control, and have only a number, not a name.
INCREASED REPORTING OF CRUELTY CASES SHOWS WE NEED TO CARE MORE ABOUT CATS
The main cause of cat overpopulation has been the refusal of animal-control agencies to enforce spay/neuter of ALL owned cats (which must be done BEFORE five months of age to control population, since some cats can conceive at four month of age.)
AND, that overpopulation can enable cats becoming victims of heinous crimes because fewer passersby or neighbors responding to their cries for help.
SAN DIEGO MAN SENTENCED TO EIGHT YEARS FOR TORTURING, KILLING CATS
On March 2, 2024, Joshua Tyler Boyer, was convicted of torturing and killing at least 10 cats in the San Diego area, and was sentenced to eight years in state prison.
Boyer, 31, pleaded guilty to 10 felony counts of animal cruelty after the remains of dead cats were found by law-enforcement investigators on his family’s property in Escondido .
Judge Robert J. Kearney denied probation for what prosecutors called one of the worst cases of animal cruelty in San Diego County.
Law enforcement officials started looking into Boyer’s activities in 2019, after a GPS tracker on a missing cat, named Leonard, eventually led to the “gruesome” discovery of the remains of cats on his property, off Reed Road in Escondido. Prosecutors said the cats “were zip-tied to cages, burned, shot with arrows and stuck with needles, among other forms of abuse.”
Prosecutors say Boyer adopted cats from animal shelters, Craigslist, and other means, often under the guise of re-homing pets others could no longer care for, according to Coast News.
During the investigation, humane officers discovered Boyer was using social media, claiming to be a military veteran-- Boyer even adopted two cats from the San Diego Humane Society.
Deputy District Attorney Eva Kilamyan called Boyer a sociopath and suggested his crimes were similar to those of serial killer Ted Bundy, who started by tormenting dogs and cats.” She called him “a very dangerous man.”
After hearing of his heinous acts, which included burning cats, electrocuting them, puncturing them with needles, shooting them with BB guns and arrows, mutilating them and leaving them out while trapped to suffer in the heat without food or water, the judge said he was concerned about Boyer’s “risk to society now and in the future.”
THERE IS NO STEREOTYPE FOR A CAT KILLER
(Rogelio Diaz, 27, seen in photos from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.)
On April 12, 2024 · KTLA-5 News reported that a suspect in the torture of a cat in South Los Angeles had been identified the by Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. as Rogelio Diaz, 27.
On April 5, Diaz was caught on video walking near the 4900 block of Marine Avenue in Lawndale around 3:10 p.m. He allegedly spotted a cat on the driveway of a home and approached the feline.
According to the video recording, authorities say “he then grabbed the cat and repeatedly threw it against the sidewalk until it was dead.”
On April 11, investigators located and arrested Diaz on suspicion of torturing/killing a live animal. They believe that there may be more victims and are asking for help from the public.
He was held at the South Los Angeles Sheriff’s Station awaiting charges.
FERAL CATS, KITTENS FOUND DEAD OR STUCK TO GLUE TRAPS IN COMPTON
Going back slightly in time, on June 17, 2021, Fox News reported a severe incident during a feud over feral cats in Compton, CA, which sparked outrage on social media and brought Los Angeles County Animal Control in to investigate how these cats “are ending up dead or found stuck to glue traps in Compton.”
A Compton family told FOX 11 their neighbor is behind the deaths. They said “she has long complained about them leaving food out for alley cats and has dumped cat feces in their yard.”
But on Thursday, it escalated when the family claims the neighbor left a cat carcass and dying kitten on their trash can.
(Feral cats allegedly in Compton garage.)
Pamela Crawford is concerned because she believes the neighbor “put traps out with tuna on them, and said she's going to kill more cats."
Pamela said when she asked the neighbor why is she targeting her family in particular with the dead cats, her response was “the family keeps feeding the feral cats.”
The neighbor refused to be speak on camera but said, "I did not poison any cats," and added, "The animal control people found the glue trap with nothing in it."
The neighbor also denied leaving the cats for the Crawford family to find.
Animal Control was contacted and stated, “It is an ongoing investigation. However, someone could face criminal charges if investigators find out that the cats were indeed intentionally killed.”
SADISTIC MUTILATION, KILLING OF CAT IN POMONA CAUGHT ON VIDEO
On November 18, 2022, FOX-11 News reported that two men who killed and mutilated a cat outside of a Pomona business three nights before had been identified and arrested after the video, which recorded the savage act was released by police and shown on news broadcasts.
Two people were arrested after they were caught on surveillance video killing a stray cat in the parking lot of a Pomona business. On Nov. 15 around 9:40 p.m., two men stop their vehicle in front of CFR Patio at 560 Union Avenue and shoot one of the cats in the parking lot… killing it. (Two arrested after being caught on video killing, mutilating stray cat ...)
The pair then jump over the fence and walk to the animal, which had stopped flailing by then. One of the men takes out some kind of sharp object and proceeds to cut it open, while the other uses his cellphone to record it.
Store owners found the mutilated animal the next morning and called Pomona Police and the Inland Valley Humane Society.
Investigators released surveillance video of the men in hopes someone in the public would recognize them.
"We’ve never had anything like this happen, it’s horrible," said Collin Lee, who explained the small family business has been at that location for years.
WHY CAT CRIMES MATTER: THESE SADISTIC KILLERS COULD LIVE RIGHT NEXT DOOR
(Photo: Animal abusers in Pomona killing cat.)
Employees at CFR Patio, where this tragedy occurred said they feed feral cats and take some of the friendly strays home, adding that an employee was planning to take Scruffy, the name they gave the victim of this brutality.
SAN PEDRO CATS ALLEGEDLY KILLED BY EXORCISER FOR 'DEMONIC RITUALS' ON JULY 4 HOLIDAY
On July 3, 2024, FOX-11 News reported that “Cats were shot at by crossbow in L.A. County as a ‘demonic ritual” in San Pedro.”
An alleged 70-year old “serial cat killer” told Fox LA reporter he “was exorcising demons by shooting feral cats.” Photos show injured cats and verify that crossbow bolts have animal fur on them. A red cross was left at the scene, alarming residents.
He can be seen here, explaining his actions, in a FoxLA interview.
If he can shoot feral cats, residents worry about who may be next, and that should concern aall of us.
All of the above who have harmed or killed animals, express an alarmingly sense of entitlement--a way to justify cruelty and death and make us unsure if anyone is safe?
This is why strong law-enforcement is critical in animal control agencies and reverence for animals in society is important.
First, they say it’s “just a cat,” but then we begin to wonder, what is next?
(Phyllis M. Daugherty is a former Los Angeles City employee, an animal activist and a contributor to CityWatch.)
