Mo. Man Charged With Burning Kitten

Drudge | July 16 | AP

[SLB]

LIBERTY, Mo.- A man was arrested Tuesday for allegedly burning a kitten on a barbecue grill as several other people stood around and watched in amusement.

A witness pulled the scorched, 7-week-old tabby from the hot coals, but it was severely injured and had to be put to death, police said.

"They kept saying, `Meow, meow,' and they were poking at it with a stick," said Sherry Scott, who burned her hand grabbing the kitten.

Charles C. Benoit, 24, was charged with animal abuse, punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine. He was jailed on $10,000 bail.

Jim Roberts, spokesman for the Clay County prosecutor's office, said he does not expect anyone else to be charged, because no witnesses could identify the others.

Scott said that on Friday night, she saw 10 or 12 people at the barbecue grill in the courtyard of the apartment complex where she lives. Scott said she asked what they were cooking, and they said it was a cat. She said the group taunted her, daring her to rescue the cat.

She said the group scattered when she threatened to call police. She said she pulled the kitten from where it had been shoved into the coals at the back of the grill. Its tail, whiskers, fur, eyes and throat were scorched.

"I called him Lucky because I thought I got him out of there just in time," she said.

Scott said she and other residents stayed up Friday night trying to nurse the kitten with an eye dropper of milk. But animal control officers decided that because of its respiratory injuries and inability to swallow food, it had to be destroyed.

"If you would have seen him, you would have cried," said Sheri Simpson, one of the residents who helped care for the kitten.

[Paid4This]

I hope that too, and I certainly don't fault her. Most people think that the Humane Society was formed to help animals, when in reality it was formed by a group of New Yorkers who were tired of the packs of wild dogs and legions of feral cats living in the city. They're not there to help animals, they exist to get rid of them.

[Britton J Wingfield]

I'm in the city(Phoenix). It works out quite well. I have one that lives on my block, and my neighbor feeds it. It's not a threat to anyone, but it would be a nuisance if she kept having kittens (I caught her last litter and adopted them out). If you just get rid of them, another (probably fertile) cat moves into the territory, and they have larger litters in the absence of population pressure. Neuter cats are much less of a problem than fertile ones, too. There are a couple of fix-and-release charities around here which either do it for free, or charge a very minimal amount.

Same theory works with bugs, too. They release sterile ones, which keep the fertile bugs wasting energy trying to mate with them.

[Renatus]

Feral cats around my home are getting the 'fix and release' treatment.

Cats around my home are trapped and taken to the country where coyotes (hopefully) eat them. Sometimes I shoot them. I hate cats.

[shaggy eel]

,,, this kitten was placed on the BBQ and expected to tango or foxtrot. Do you suppose the BBQ manufacturer has a case to answer?

[Britton J Wingfield]

Taking the cats completely out of the environment results in the remaining cats having larger litters of kittens. You are spinning your effete little wheels.

[HairOfTheDog]

;~D

[NYCVirago]

Cats around my home are trapped and taken to the country where coyotes (hopefully) eat them. Sometimes I shoot them. I hate cats.

Thanks for sharing.

[ArrogantBustard]

This should be a capital offense.

I hate cats. That said, this evil little freak belongs in prison, along with the guy on some other thread who was raping dogs. But capital offense? You would empower the state to kill this man, for mistreating a mere animal? Do you wish to empower the state to kill those who commit rape, assault, or battery? If so, you're at least somewhat consistent. However, I, personally, would only empower the power to kill murderers; and that somewhat reluctantly.

[HairOfTheDog]

They're not there to help animals, they exist to get rid of them.

Harsh... I think they are there to fix the problems caused by the irresponsible.

[Khepera]

Mmmmmmmmm Kittens!

[shaggy eel]

They're not there to help animals, they exist to get rid of them.

Harsh... I think they are there to fix the problems caused by the irresponsible.

,,, semantics. Those two statements are one in the same.

[lelio]

You're right about Don Norris being the prosecuting attorney, this page lists him as so.

[MotleyGirl70]

What kind of sauce did they use?

Doesn't matter if you don't like cats, this is a cruel and inhumane thing to do to an innocent animal. I'd love to take a hot poker stick to that guys eyeballs.

[RoughDobermann]

Lucky

[triplejake]

Sloth: "Legally speaking, I believe people have a right to do whatever they want with their own property (not established in this article), even live animals."

??? Where did you get this? Animal cruelty laws apply whether or not the animals are yours.

[MotleyGirl70]

Me too. I have two cats and love 'em a ton. Stories like this get my blood boiling. What a bunch of cowards!

[Black Agnes]

OHMIGOD! WHO could just put that precious adorable KITTEN on a bbq grill??? What kind of inhuman %$#$&*(! would DO THAT!!

[RoughDobermann]

OHMIGOD! WHO could just put that precious adorable KITTEN on a bbq grill??? What kind of inhuman %$#$&*(! would DO THAT!!

I think you answered your own question...

[HairOfTheDog]

Yes... it is semantics... but the right words can describe a hard job that needs doing, or invoke an image of uncaring extermination of animals for it's own sake. Like I said, I felt it was harsh, not untrue.

[MotleyGirl70]

Here's a cutie for ya :)