Posted on 01/25/2009 5:28:39 PM PST by Daffynition
BOISE -- A 12-year-old Caldwell boy has come forward to claim responsibility for the arrow found lodged in the head of a cat.
Prosecutors will decide whether the boy should be charged with animal cruelty.
The boy and his father told the Gem County Sheriff's Office he was protecting quail, but the question many are asking tonight is - does intention matter?
Gem County officials tell us that it is illegal to shoot at pets with a bow and arrow any time. But some are making the argument that this was a stray cat.
Jeff Rosenthal with the Idaho Humane Society says that does not matter.
"There's a feeling at least that this is something malicious and cruel," said Rosenthal.
A nine-month-old cat, now named Valentine, is recovering after a major surgery to remove an arrow from her head.
This interview came an hour before Wednesday's surgery.
"I think the arrow went through the eye and came out the back of the head," said Jeff Brourman who performed the surgery on Valentine.
A scan of the cat's head shows the arrow missed the brain by millimeters, but destroyed the left ear and eye.
(Related: Sheriff says 12-year-old boy shot cat in head with arrow)
"In a case like this we have to be concerned that this is something that is done purposefully," said Brourman.
Hours after this story was brought to the public's attention, the Gem County Sheriff's Office said that a 12 year-old neighbor of the person who brought the cat in claimed responsibility.
We went to their home Thursday, but they declined to comment.
Since Valentine is a stray, the closest thing to an owner would be the person who took the cat to West Vet.
That person said they would not press charges on the boy because they believe he is sorry for what he did and that this was an accident.
Jeff Rosenthal with the Idaho Humane Society disagrees.
"I don’t think it was accidental, I think the shot itself where it hit was, that part of it, I'm sure no one was that accurate, but I believe the child was intending to harm the cat sure," said Rosenthal.
We spoke with a lieutenant from Gem County Sheriff's Office just moments after he questioned the family and he said he has everything he needs to file his report. He'll turn it over to the prosecutor to decide whether to file charges. That decision likely won't be made until next week.
"Because it was a child there’s more of a, oh it’s a child out being mischievous, made a mistake. I still think it’s important to make an impact on that child. Make sure we don’t have anything else going on with the child as well," said Rosenthal.
Valentine will spend the night recovering from surgery, and then the plan is for Simply Cats, an all cat shelter, to come and pick her up and get her well enough to be adopted.
Simply Cats executive director Sheri Schneider tells us that around 75 people have shown interest in adopting the cat when she's ready.
Schneider says they will most likely hold a lottery to determine Valentine's new owner.
Rosenthal says the Humane Society maintains a toll-free animal cruelty and neglect hotline for people to report cases of animal cruelty, neglect or animal fighting.
Anyone with information on these forms of abuse is urged to call 1-866-430-9432.
So did the old man, the policeman, the old lady...etc. Same things....
I numbered the articles for that purpose.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.