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.

[Inge_CAV]

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

Sick bastards.

[rface]

When I go to WhitePages.com and do a search for Charles C. Benoit in Missouri, I find nothing, but I do find a Susan Benoit and a Joe Benoit who also live in Liberty Missouri.

If I called these numbers would you answer?

[Britton J Wingfield]

I'd like to put my siamese in a sack and tie it over this guy's head for 5 minutes.

[dighton]

Takes guts to step into a idiot-infested crowd.

Yes it does. What a gulf there is between this brave, decent woman, and a waste of skin like Mr. Benoit.

[Paid4This]

Nine years ago, the previous owner of our home in the country left 26 cats behind. We used a live animal trap, caught them, put them in a wire cage and took them to the humane society. Bad part was they got scared when we put them in the vehicle and pooped everywhere, it was disgusting!

I hope it was a no-kill shelter. Otherwise you might as well have shot them all. Dead is dead.

I hate to say it, but on reading this, the woman who rescued the cat should have taken it to a vet. The vet would have been able to tell her if it could have really been saved. The Humane Society will put cats to death suffering from nothing more than abcesses.

[Aria]

I just called there and was told the email address for the prosecuting attorney is: dnorris@claycogov.com
the number I called was 816-792-7711 - she said the address was somewhat of a guess but I'm going to try it anyway.

[HairOfTheDog]

Yeah - I saw this... At least there was one person there who would do the right thing. I hope I never witness anything like this... I have a feeling my reaction could lead to jail time.

Then again, maybe not. Maybe the court would understand.

[HairOfTheDog]

...the woman who rescued the cat should have taken it to a vet. ...The Humane Society will put cats to death suffering from nothing more than abcesses.

True enough, she should have had it treated immediately, but the costs probably caused her to pause. I don't fault the humane society either. They have to do the best they can with limited resources, and sometimes they can't afford to spend all their resources on the sick and wounded, when healthy animals are put down because of overpopulation.

No more backyard litters of puppies and kittens is the answer. Leave breeding to the few... It is not cute to have litters for the fun of it when we are killing so many every day.

[Inge_CAV]

You wouldn't be in Jail alone ........ : )

[ThreeYearLurker]

Maybe Bacardi 151 instead. I understand that JD is not ignitable, but 151, whooeee!

[Britton J Wingfield]

If it was burned badly enough, killing was probably the most merciful option.

Feral cats around my home are getting the 'fix and release' treatment. No new kittens, and no voids for other ferals to move into.

[Paid4This]

You bring in a charity case like that car and most vets would at least have examined it for free, and worked out some sort of discounted payment plan if it could have been saved, or even done the work for free. Especially in that area - my sister works with veterinarians in KC and has many stories about the charity cases they take on.

[Bulldogger]

I wonder if PETA is going to go after this guy in the national media . . . or are they too busy trying to take away my cheeseburger?

[HairOfTheDog]

You wouldn't be in Jail alone ........ : )

hehehe - hmmm... Maybe it wouldn't be so bad then, if I get to choose my company! Can we stay up late and play cards?

[HairOfTheDog]

You're right.... I would have taken it to the vet... I am gonna guess my vet would treat it also... But taking on the costs may have been in her mind (I am guessing) and I don't fault her for her good intentions in the face of a bad situation... Hopefully the kitten felt some comfort from her caring.

[Aria]

Well, I just emailed that address the courthouse gave me and it came back to me. If anyone can find out the real email address for Don Norris, who they said is the prosecuting attorney, I'd appreciate it.

[HairOfTheDog]

They are releasing the cats again? - interesting. Not sure how to feel about that. Are you rural or city?

[Texas Mom]

What kind of sauce did they use?

Jerk!

[Britton J Wingfield]

I was in Petsmart just before closing when a cashier on break found a sick kitten in the parking lot. It had horrible eye infections and URI. The vet tech from the in-store clinic took the kitten in, they treated it, and it was put up for adoption there when it was well again. Taking this burned kitten in to a vet would have at least gotten it looked at, even if they had to put it down. Most people don't go into that line of work for the big bucks, they just love animals.

[Inge_CAV]

All night long if you want. : )