Vic: Cat owner wants animal abuser to "rot in jail"

AAP General News (Australia)
12-12-2007
Vic: Cat owner wants animal abuser to "rot in jail"

By Michelle Draper

MELBOURNE, Dec 12 AAP - The owner of a cat which was sexually abused and set alight
in Melbourne says she hopes the perpetrator rots in jail.

Kate Arnol was forced to euthanase her 12 months old white cat, Bullet, on Saturday,
after the pet was found to have serious injuries which indicated it had been sexually
abused.

In a cruel twist, RSPCA inspector Greg Boland said the cat was adopted by Ms Arnol
from the RSPCA.

He said the incident was especially worrying because there was evidence that those
who inflicted cruelty on animals often turned their violence towards humans.

A tearful Ms Arnol told Southern Cross Radio today she hoped the offender was caught.

"I just hope that they do catch who has done this to him to make sure it doesn't happen
to any other animals, or if they move on to humans, I hope they just rot in jail."

Ms Arnol said Bullet went missing on Friday evening and she began to get worried when
it got dark and he didn't return home.

"I have no idea who would want to do anything like that to a defenceless animal."

Ms Arnol was eventually called by a local vet who tracked the owners down through the
animal's microchip.

She said Bullet had been given strong painkillers by the vet but when she arrived he
was crying out loudly in pain.

"He was on heavy drugs, he really had no idea what was going on, he was in a lot of
pain and he was crying, like, extremely loud.

"The poor bugger was just lost, he didn't know where he was."

After discussing her pet's condition with the vet, Ms Arnol and her fiance, who have
recently moved into the Berwick area where the attack occurred, decided to put the cat
down.

Mr Boland said the attack on Bullet came two days after a pet rabbit in the same suburb
was bludgeoned to death.

He said the RSPCA was working with Victoria Police to find who was responsible for both attacks.

"The behaviour that occurred or the injuries that were inflicted on Bullet are just
sickening, and we need to stop the person or persons involved," he said.

Mr Boland said the person who attacked Bullet could face 12 months in prison or a $12,000
fine because the nature of the incident was so severe.

AAP md/gfr/cjh/bwl

KEYWORD: CAT

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