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."
Don't give DU ammo to show freepers as idiots.
The other day I saw the first Oriole in ten years. Whether you like it or not, there are folks that view their birdfeeders the same way you view your dear fluffy.
I'm with you on that. Don't get me wrong, I like birds too, but it's not like there is a shortage of them ,and they do usually escape. We just paid $85.00 to get our cat her bi-yearly shots. We feed the birds too, and it isn't quite as expensive. We also have a bell on her collar so the score so far as I can tell is birds-escape 100/ cat capture/ 0.
This nut belongs in the loony bin.
"She could have called the city animal control officers"
Ummm...she did. From the article:
"After calling authorities and getting no results, she took matters into her own hands. "
I don't blame her for wasting those cats. I've taken plenty of shots at cats trolling my bird-feeders as well. A Crosman 760 pump pellet gun can REALLY make a stupid cat jump high!
"This incident could have been avoided if Wisconsin had enacted the cat hunting season."
Dang! It took 15 posts for that comment to show up. I was thinking only three at the outside, LOL! :)
"A Rat is a Pig is a Dog is a Boy" - Ingrid Newkirk
Your equating murdering an old lady with offing a stray puts you in the company of leftists like Newkirk and Singer. Good luck with that.
Not a very well thought out plan.
Now if she had set a few HAVAHART traps and contacted someone with a python ....
"I say Granny was spot on for teaching a valuable lesson to irresponsible Feline owners."
I too say Granny was justified.
Leni
Yes, people should keep their cats inside, but that's not always possible.
I care for a cat that cannot be brought inside. I put a collar with an extra noisy bell on him, so the birds at least have a little warning he's there. I also feed him a lot. I've never seen him kill a bird.
If this wretched person had notified her neighbor in a polite way that she had a problem with his cats, and he refused to do anything, then she might have had a case to take action.
Like, giving him a warning that she would call animal control if he didn't do try to solve the problem.
But nothing justifies poisoning cats. Nothing.
Some people are just plain evil.
"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."
Whoa! I have the same problem with cats in my twins' sandbox. I just shoot them with a pellet from an air gun. If it kills 'em, good. If not, maybe the stupid animals will learn a lesson, but since we're talking about cats, I'm not holding my breath...but I am reloading.
Never do this for the birds. It's just wrong.
Funny how cats always get blamed for bird-killing. Since we got our dog, our backyard has become a bird killing ground. We've finally tied him up for most of the day, and darnit, we live in the country! (Not another house for at least a mile!)
"I like birds too, but it's not like there is a shortage of them"
There most certainly is a shortage of several species.
What there is certainly NOT a shortage of are cats. A few shot here & there won't make a difference to the population.
I agree,
some evil folks I don't want around me (or my critters)....
"We also have a bell on her collar so the score so far as I can tell is birds-escape 100/ cat capture/ 0."
I wish all cat owners were as responsible as you.
Well, my dad wants to shoot'em with the air rifle. I said call animal control. Then he said a#$hole neighbor would just get another cat.
That's got me thinking...
What would all these pussy lovers be saying if some herpetophile let their constrictors slither the neighborhood, and Tabby got the "tourniquet"?
Three years?!! Murderers get less than that. Our laws are the ones that are cuckoo.
Didn't you read the article?
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