Cat microwaved to death during robbery by teenagers in Canada

Upcoming Court Dates:
» Thursday, Feb 7, 2008

Incident Date: Sunday, Dec 30, 2007

Four Alberta teens have been charged with animal cruelty after a cat was found dead in a microwave.

A 13-year-old and three 15-year-olds are facing a number of other charges after a break-in occurred over the weekend at a home in the central Alberta community of Camrose, about 90 kilometres from Edmonton.

Police say the incident happened while the homeowners were out of town. A friend who checked on the home made the grisly discovery, finding the cat inside the microwave.

Police say the microwave had been turned on.

"Obviously, it's very disturbing. We're used to dealing with property crime but when you go and do something like this it's upsetting," said Camrose Police Service Insp. Lee Foreman.

The incident has left the community in shock.

"I get a little disturbed when I hear of things like that going on," one resident told CTV News Edmonton. "That's just senseless and stupid," he said, petting his dog.

Other residents said they're also concerned that young people have been charged.

Several thousand dollars of electronics were also taken during the robbery. Police say they have recovered most of the stolen property. The teens will appear in court in February. They cannot be identified because of legal restrictions.

http://www.pet-abuse.com/cases/12908/AB/CA/

**UPDATE**

A group of anti-animal cruelty protesters stood outside court in Camrose, Alta., as a judge put the case of several teens accused of using a microwave oven to kill a family cat over until March 6.

It's alleged that three 15-year-olds and a 13-year-old broke into a Camrose home on Dec. 30, and put the family cat named Princess in the microwave.

They were charged with unlawfully killing an animal, unlawfully causing pain or suffering to an animal and various break and enter offences.

The protesters have been lobbying for Ottawa to pass effective legislation for crimes against animals.

A neighbour who walked into the vandalized home has said she found the words, "Nice cat, look in the microwave" scrawled in felt pen on the kitchen window and on the glass of the kitchen cabinets.

The protesters carried pictures of Princess when the cat was alive and signs that said "Killers often torture animals when they are young".