'Violence like this doesn't begin or end with animals', says CT SPCA after suspect arrested for killing cats
It's understood that the suspect strangled his neighbour’s cat to death. According to the SPCA, as many as five cats are believed to have been killed in the Freedom Park area under similar circumstances.
Cat paws / Pexels: Monica Silvestre 909916
CAPE TOWN - In Cape Town, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) has described reports of a serial cat killer as not just an animal welfare issue, but a public safety one.
The views come after police arrested a 29-year-old who has allegedly been killing cats.
It's understood that the suspect strangled his neighbour’s cat to death.
According to the SPCA, as many as five cats are believed to have been killed in the Freedom Park area under similar circumstances.
Spokesperson for the SPCA, Belinda Abraham, said the suspect was arrested after the organisation was tipped off.
"Violence like this doesn't begin or end with animals. This signals a terrifying disconnect from empathy, and a breakdown of the values that bind us as a community. It's not just that a defenceless animal was brutalised, it’s that somebody felt entitled enough to do it."
Abraham said he is expected to appear in court on Wednesday.
"If they feel nothing for the pain of an innocent creature, what else are they capable of doing? That’s why the SPCA will be in court, that's why we’ll be opposing bail because justice for this cat isn’t just about punishment, it’s about prevention."