Lauderhill, Florida Police Officer Pepper Sprays Cat

AP | 09/08/01

[My Favorite Headache]

Lauderhill police officer charged for pepper spraying cat

Saturday, September 8, 2001

Associated Press

LAUDERHILL — A police officer was charged Friday with a misdemeanor for pepper spraying an injured cat, officials said.

The sick cat had been laying in the bushes outside a Chili's restaurant when a passer-by said she saw officer Lerue Sarvis spray it. The cat's eyes were swollen shut when it was found by Sharon Falcone, who works for Pets and Animals in Distress in Fort Lauderdale.

Sarvis could face up to a year in jail and a $5,000 fine if convicted of the cruelty to animals charge.

The Lauderhill Police Department investigating the situation and Sarvis has not been suspended, said Chief Kenneth Pachnek.

The cat — nicknamed Chili Pepper — is now awaiting adoption.

"She's still very shy of people, but she's doing fine," said center volunteer Lee Starkman.

[My Favorite Headache]

What an asshole...no other words.

[riley1992]

The cat — nicknamed Chili Pepper

Terrible thing to do to a cat but this part is funnier than hell.

[Right Face]

LOL...The name is pretty funny.

What's the deal with pepper spraying a cat though? I'd like to be able to give the cop the benefit of the doubt and say the cat was rabid or something. The article doesn't say specifically what "sick" means in this case.

[riley1992]

Unless the cat was rabid and attacking him, there is no reason I can think of that would justify his doing that. The article doesn't specifically say but the tone and tenor doesn't suggest the cat was attacking at all.

[Cvengr]

Maybe he was marinating for the Thai food shop next door. Yums! ;^P

[Right Face]

Just think what he would do if he stumbled across a "parking" high school couple or some other heathen criminal act like that. Tabasco treatment for sure.

[riley1992]

ROTFL. Maybe instead of naming him Chili Pepper they should have named him Curry.

[riley1992]

Applied to the right areas, those hormonal little buggers would think twice about parking again.

[muggs]

Just think what he would do if he stumbled across a "parking" high school couple or some other heathen criminal act like that. Tabasco treatment for sure.

Thank God that cop wasn't around during my high school days. All they did back then was blind you with that bright, bright light.

[muggs]

LOL

[riley1992]

All they did back then was blind you with that bright, bright light.

It was like the lights in "Close Encounters of a Third Kind" when that was shined on you. Good luck finding any missing articles of clothing when you've been blinded.

[muggs]

Ever wonder how long they stood there and watched before they turned it on?

[riley1992]

I have a story that coincides with that but I think it is best kept to freepmail. LOL

How goes the flood damage? Are you currently smoking one or two cigarettes as you type?

[ABG(anybody but Gore)]

I'm not a big cat fan(and PETA and I don't see eye-to-eye on just about anything), but I've known some real cat haters who just like inflicting pain on them. A couple of guys I used to know would actually swerve off the road if a cat was sitting on the side, trying to run over them. Just some cruel folks in the world, I guess.

[dokmad]

This story is very vague. We dont know the whole story. Sometimes sick animals attack people who try to rescue them. Lets not be judgemental until the investigation is complete and the verdict is in!

[muggs]

Things are looking a little better every day and I'm down to 1 cigarette at a time, so I guess things are looking up.

[riley1992]

I'm not at all a cat person, either, but cruelty is cruelty. Unless this cat attacked him, this was cruel, plain and simple.

[muggs]

I have a story that coincides with that but I think it is best kept to freepmail. LOL

Hey, hurry up with the freepmail, the curiosity is killing me. :)

[riley1992]

ROTFL. Okay, give me a few and you might want to light that second cigarette.

[muggs]

Take your time, I'm going to go wake up my snoring husband and I may be gone awhile. :)