Posted on 06/23/2005 1:44:26 PM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
(Neighbor's cats allegedly poisoned in accused's back yard to save birds)
Myrtle Maly couldn't stand the thought of the neighbor's cats attacking birds in her back yard. After calling authorities and getting no results, she took matters into her own hands.
According to a criminal complaint, the 78-year-old woman admitted killing the neighbor's two cats by dumping D-Con rodent killer into a can of "Special Salmon Dinner" cat food and leaving it in her back yard at 1813 Spaight St.
She was charged today with two felony counts of animal mistreatment, each of which carries a possible 3 years in prison.
During a brief court appearance today she was released on a signature bond and ordered to have no contact with the cats' owner and his family.
According to the complaint:
Maly said she took the lethal measure after calling animal control about the cats, which were owned by a family that lived across the street, but nothing was done.
"Do you know how nice it is to come home and listen to the birds?" she reportedly told Detective Dave Gouran. "When I find these little feathers, I've had it. I love animals, but he drove me to it."
Maly's neighbor told police he typically let his cats - 8-month-old Tiger and 6-year-old Tangerine - outside for the night, and the pets returned together in the morning.
On May 28, Tiger came home alone and a few hours later began having seizures. The neighbor found Tangerine lying in the driveway, racked by convulsions and foaming at the mouth. He said he and his children passed a difficult period as the cats suffered, then died. Tiger died that same day, and Tangerine died the following day.
After discovering that the cats were sick, the neighbor contacted an emergency veterinarian clinic and was told the symptoms were consistent with poisoning. Knowing that Maly had called authorities about his cats in the past, he said, he looked in her back yard and found a can of cat food, most of which was eaten.
According to the complaint, while being questioned by Detective Dave Gouran, Maly admitted putting some D-Con rodent killer in the cat food on May 27 and leaving it outside before leaving the next day for the weekend.
Maly reportedly complained that the cats should have been kept "at home, in control."
She said she didn't know how much of the poison she used, she just "dumped some in." "I just probably thought they'd get sick. I don't know how that stuff works," she said.
Asked if the poison was intended for her neighbor's cats, she said, "Both of them."
She is quoted in the complaint as saying she had mixed feelings about killing the cats, but added, "I have a good feeling because the birds are happy now."
Or else Algore wasn't lying and the elderly ARE starving, because why else would Granny, who has no pets, have a can of cat food in her possession? Hmmmm?? Hmmmm??
You should have to maintain control of your pets at all times.
But I should be able to "dispatch" any non indigenous animal that roams my property.
I say Granny was spot on for teaching a valuable lesson to irresponsible Feline owners.
Way to go Grandmother - freakin cats oughta be home or be dead. Cats are killers.
Cattus Domesticus is not an indigenous species.
They are on par with Kudzu, and Zebra Mussels.
That's not much of a defense in the face of such clear criminal intent.
So, the guy not only let his cats go in her backyard, he went in there himself. Presumably without permission.
Madison Wisconsin: More nuts per square mile than Berkley California.
Never said what she did was right.
One of my parents neighbors lets their cat out all the time. It ends up in my parents yard (my parents have a stockade fence). There is a sand pile there for the grandkids to play in. You know where cats like to evacuate their bowels? That's right, in the sand. Well, we spend more time cleaning the cat crap out of the pile than my son does playing in it. The owner has been told about this numerous times, he refuses to do anything. Cats kept as pets should not be allowed outside unleashed or uncaged.
>:^)
It woulda been more merciful to shoot them.
To slowly bleed to death internally is an awful way to die...and an even more horrific way to watch something die.
Geez...what if a kid/toddler had gotten into the stuff? (and it happens)
She didn't have to take the law into her own hands.
Yup...
I really am amazed by the brazen arrogance of Feline owners whenever this subject comes up. Being a lifelong Canine owner who has ALWAYS kept control of his pets, it is bewildering to me that these folks think it's right as rain to let their lil' fluffy predators stalk the neighborhood unimpeded.
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