16 year old drowned friend's kitten because she didn't want to go back to her foster home

In Vineland, NJ, a woman is mourning the loss of one of her kittens.  She started out with a litter of four.  

“I think she’s a monster,” Rodriguez, 15, told NBC 10 News.

The 16-year-old girl stole the kitten, named Princess, Sunday afternoon while visiting Rodriguez at her home on North 7th Street, investigators said.

“(The friend) said she took the kitten to her own house and drowned it in the bathroom sink,” said Bev Greco, executive director of the Cumberland CountySPCA.

The kitten was found on the ground outside the Vineland home of the girl’s foster parents, Greco said. No one answered the door when NBC10 went to the house Monday afternoon.

Police charged the teen, whose name is not being made public because she’s a juvenile, with theft and animal cruelty. SPCA officials said she confessed to the crime.

The only explanation the teen gave for killing the kitten was that she did not want to go back to the foster home, Greco explained. The girl was being evaluated at a mental health facility.

So, she killed this poor kitten then threw it in the yard like it was trash.  She didn't even have remorse after she had realized what she had done.  I hope she gets the help that she needs.

Source:

http://www.nj.com/south/index.ssf/2009/03/vineland_teen_accused_of_drown.html

DNA Links Teens to Fatally Burning Cat

NEW YORK -- Two Brooklyn teenagers could spend up to 25 years in jail for setting a cat aflame in October, causing the severely injured tabby to eventually be euthanized.

Angelo Monderoy, 18, and Mathew Cooper, 17, were indicted last week by the King's County District's Attorney's Office; they now face multiple charges, including arson in the second degree, burglary in the second degree, aggravated animal cruelty and animal cruelty. In New York, aggravated animal cruelty is classified as a felony.

The 5-month-old case may well have remained unsolved had the New York ASPCA not utilized advanced forensics, one of its investigators says.

It's the first time the New York City cruelty investigative team relied on DNA testing, which is commonly used in human cases, but not animal-related incidents.

"This type of testing is becoming more and more accessible for our field," said Joseph Pentangelo, a special agent for humane law enforcement at the ASPCA. "In this case, what was done to the cat certainly cried out for a resolution. We figured that it was certainly an appropriate case to try it on."

Cooper and Monderoy are being charged for stalking Scruffy, a young male tabby, inside one of the men's Crown Heights apartment building. The cat was technically a stray, but had befriended some of the building's tenants, who would regularly supply him with food and care.

After catching the cat, the pair allegedly broke into a vacant apartment unit on Oct. 7, 2008, doused him with a flammable liquid and set him on fire. One person appeared to hold the cat down on his left side, as the right portion ofScruffy's body showed the most severe burns.

Later that morning, according to the King County's District Attorney's Office, "the cat was found outside crying, unable to move, but still alive. It was taken to an animal hospital, where it was euthanized, due to the severe burns it had suffered."

Identifying a culprit in an animal abuse case is frequently challenging, according to Deputy District Attorney Carol Moran, since "animals, much like a victim in a young child abuse case, cannot identify the attacker."

"Even if this cat had lived, it couldn't identify its attacker, even if it did know who did it," Moran said. "That means that we are always going to rely on some combination of investigative work, and in this case, forensics."

Elements of the crime were sloppy, Pentangelo said, and revealed several clues.

"The flames not only damaged the cat, but the floor and part of the walls of the apartment as well," he said. "This was a reckless act, which could have resulted in people being harmed, as well."

Investigators' survey of the area led them to the defendants, "who made some admissions to their involvement in burning a cat," Moran said.

Yet questions of Scruffy being the actual cat who was burned remained unanswered. Hoping to connect the pieces, the ASPCA investigative team looked to DNA testing as a viable option.

"To make sure we could prove that the animal, whose horrible injuries had caused this death, was the same animal these young men set on fire, the ASPCA really did something unique here," Moran said. "They used the scrapings of charred flesh from the apartment and then samples from the cat's body and sent it away."

The DNA matched.

Read more... 

Teenagers in Oklahoma video taped themselves beating a cat and posted it on Youtube

An animal abuse story that has sparked outrage across the country has Comanche County Sheriff Kenny Stradley saying that two local boys are responsible. The teen was filmed beating and torturing a cat, and uploaded it to YouTube over the weekend. It was viewed about 30,000 times.

Internet observers along with information from popular websites such as YouTube, Reddit, Digg, Facebook and Myspace, came up with pictures posted by a teen in Lawton that related to parts of the video. That's when 7News and local authorities began receiving calls. "At this time, it appears that it is here in Lawton. We re just at the beginning of this, but it s looking like it is from Comanche County," said Stradley.

The horrifying day may be over for the cat, but it is just getting started for its abusers. "We'll put it together and take it to the D.A. It will be up to the D.A. whether or not he files charges or not. Our job is to put the investigation together as a case and take it to the DA and that's what we'll do," said Stradley.

Sheriff Kenny Stradley says the cat has been taken to a local veterinarian and that investigators have questioned two boys.

The abusers names are not being released because they are minors.

What I want to know is who are the sick people, all 30,000 of them who would watch this video!?!?!  This is just disgusting! 

Contact Sheriff Kenny Stradley:

Comanche County Sheriff's Department
Comanche County Courthouse
315 SW 5th Street
Room 102
Lawton, Oklahoma 73501

580.353.4280

(I cannot find an email address for the Sheriff)


http://www.kswo.com/Global/story.asp?S=9852277

http://www.pet-abuse.com/cases/15258/OK/US/

13 year old sexually assaults 11 year old and kills her cat goes to pretrial hearing January 21.

A 13-year-old Livingston County boy has been charged with sexually assaulting a neighborhood girl on her 11th birthday, killing her cat, assaulting her younger brother, harassing her mother on the telephone and kicking and punching another boy at a school bus stop.

The incidents occurred over several months, starting in April, but were not reported to police until mid-October, Pinckney Police Chief Denis Aseltine said. Criminal charges were filed Nov. 3.

Pinckney Community Schools Superintendent Dan Danosky and Pathfinder School officials could not be reached this morning for comment on whether the 13-year-old remains in school.

Aseltine said the incidents began on the girl's 11th birthday, as she and the boy sat on a couch at her home watching a movie in their Putnam Township neighborhood.

He said the girl told police the boy sexually assaulted her, causing her to flee, frightened and crying, to her mother's room and locked the door. He said the boy's mother later apologized to the girl's mother, so the incident was not reported, even though the girl said she remained in pain for several days after the assault.

In July, Aseltine said, the boy admitted to stepping on and killing the girl's cat, but claimed it was an accident. The girl's mother told police the cat was never allowed outside. She took the cat to Michigan State University for a necropsy, which listed multiple liver fractures, hemorrhaging in the lungs and kidney, as causes of death, Aseltine said.

Aseltine said the boy has admitted he shoved the girl's 8-year-old brother off his bike in July. The 8-year-old told police the older boy lifted him, while on his bike, threw him to the ground, then threw a scooter at him.

The girl's mother also said the 13-year-old called her on the telephone and cursed her, and posted obscene comments on the girl's MySpace page.

The incidents were finally reported, Aseltine said, after an 11-year-old neighbor boy told police that the 13-year-old knocked him down at the school bus stop in mid-October, then kicked him in the stomach and repeatedly punched him in the head.

Livingston County prosecutors said the charges against the 13-year-old include second-degree criminal sexual conduct, a 15-year felony for an adult; animal cruelty or torture, a four-year felony; malicious use of a telephone, a six-month misdemeanor; and two counts of assault and battery, a 93-day misdemeanor.


Read more about this case. 

Student cut up dead puppy for science project

BATON ROUGE, La., Aug. 14 (UPI) -- A high school student in Baton Rouge, La., dissected a dead puppy allegedly as part of an assignment from her biology class, a police report says.


Read more here...

Boy Scout Builds Five Feral Cat Houses to Help Kitties

A Boy Scout on his way to becoming an Eagle Scout has built 5 feral cat houses with the help of his father, a veterinarian, and some fellow boy scouts.  He has donated them to The Cleveland Animal Protective League who will distribute them to residents who feed feral cats. 

The elevated wooden houses have an entrance on one side that will allow cats to go around an interior corner to a compartment where body heat will help them survive the winter. Cedar chips or straw can be added to increase their comfort. The shelters have a removable top so they can be cleaned.
Harvey said, "Lending a helping hand to cats who can't be socialized and will never know the pleasure of a lap or the stroke of a human hand is surely a selfless and model act of citizenship for all of us."

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2008/11/cleveland_a_boy_scout.html

Two teens plead guilty to microwaving cat

Two Camrose teens who pleaded guilty to killing a neighbour's cat by putting it in a microwave were sentenced to 100 hours of community service Thursday.

Justice Shauna Miller ruled the two teenagers will be put on one year probation for their role in the gruesome case. They are also banned from owning a pet for two years and must pay $500 in restitution to the family.

They have also been placed on a curfew for one year and aren't allowed to play violent video games.

More...

18 year old gets one year probation, $300 fine for putting a Jack Russell Terrier in a washer and killing it after luring it with a dead squirrel.

Here is another case of a clueless judge giving a "slap on the wrist" punishment.

Klynn M. Cvejkus, 18, of the 200 block of Fourth Street, was fined $300, plus administrative fees, by Judge Gerard Long for killing a dog.

Her probation is under the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program, which will allow her to clear her criminal record if she doesn’t get into trouble during the year.

A dead squirrel was found in the clothes dryer, the chief said. Because squirrels are difficult to catch, authorities suspect it may have been found dead and used to lure the dog into the house’s basement.

Pavic said dog feces found in the dryer indicate the canine may have been placed there first.

Police said Cvejkus, the Conemaugh Valley High School student, entered the house last month and put the small terrier into the washer. The dog died of a broken neck, authorities said. It didn't drown because water to the house had not been turned on.

Police said the dog was alive when it was put inside the washer, but they said Cvejkus allegedly told friends she found the animal dead along a road.

The home's owner, Jean Bopp, told the district judge on Monday she found the dead terrier in March when she was preparing to move back into the house.

I want to know why this judge is so lax about a punishment. She lured the dog there to KILL it. That is sick.

Please write or call this judge and let him know what you think about this sentence.

Judge Gerard Long
Cambria County Courthouse
200 South Center Street
Ebensburg, PA 15931
(814) 472-5440 Ext. 401

If calling, you can say something as short as "Judge Long, I am contacting you in regards to the case of Klynn M. Cvejkus (I do not know how to pronounce this person's name). If you do not feel comfortable trying to pronounce it you can say, "Judge Long, I am contacting you in regards to the case of the 18 year old teenager from East Conemaugh who put a dog in a washer and turned it on. Then, state your opinion on the sentence. For example, this is (basically) what I said: I believe this sentence is an injustice to the dog and other pets and pet owners. Police believe she lured the dog there to kill it. She picked up a dead squirrel, lured the dog to the house, placed him in the dryer where the squirrel was also found, then put him in the washer and turned it on. She knowingly and calously killed the dog. Probation is not nearly enough to punish her. According to Robert K. Ressler, who developed profiles of serial killers for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), “Murderers … very often start out by killing and torturing animals as kids,” I hope you understand the severity of animal cruelty and the repercussions for our society the next time you have a case in your court room. Thank You.

Teenagers in Clearlake, California Microwave Hamster

Two teenage girls who police say microwaved a hamster face felony animal cruelty charges.

Officials say the girls, ages 14 and 15, twice put their hamster, named Bugsy, in a microwave. Police say they also stuck Bugsy in the freezer.

Officer Carl Miller says the girls told authorities they just wanted to see the hamster go around on the microwave's plate. The girls told authorities that they didn't think the animal would be hurt because it was only in there about five seconds.

Animal Control officers say the hamster survived, but chewed off three of its feet that were burned and blackened.

The girls, whose identities have not been released because of their ages, are being held in Juvenile Hall.

Cat microwaved to death during robbery in Canada-Trial for 13 year old and three 15 year olds begins 4.3.08

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

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.

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. She 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.

Police say the microwave had been turned on-resulting in the cat's death.

"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.

Teens Charged in Extreme Animal Mutilation and Cruelty Case

Animal cruelty charges have been filed against a 16-year-old boy and his 14-year-old friend, for what experts say is one of the worst cruelty cases they've ever seen.

Local 12's Rich Jaffe says the attack on the tiny animal began last Wednesday night and continued into the next day.

The horrific case came to light when two Reading Junior/Senior High School students began bragging to classmates about what they'd done.

Harold Dates, SPCA Cincinnati: "I can refer to the Ohio Revised Code. It says no person shall knowingly torture, torment, needlessly mutilate or maim, cruelly beat, poison, needlessly kill or commit an act of cruelty against a companion animal, almost all of the things in that specific section of the code were done to this cat."

One of the boys told investigators he punched the cat, a family pet, in the face Wednesday night, then bragged to classmates about spraying it in the face with insecticide and lysol. Coming home from school Thursday, he and a 14 year old friend are accused of literally beating the life out of the already injured animal.

"Confronted by the allegations of what they had done by an investigator from SPCA Cincinnati, the two teens admitted to it, and then they took her to a side yard where they had buried the mutilated animal."

"The skull of the animal is totally crushed, there's not an identifying bone there, the cervical vertebrae...they've been crushed too, the scapula or shoulder blade is crushed..."

In addition, the cats eyes were popped out, legs broken, a stake driven into it, and its brain removed.

Dr. Tamara Goforth, Veterinarian: "Most of the trauma was on the front end, but on the back end there is a pelvic fracture, and there is a fracture here on the rear leg that is probably about a month old."

"My main concern is that this individual is helped in some way shape or form so that these acts don't continue and escalate to the next easiest victim."

Both teens are facing the stiffest possibly cruelty charges.

School officials at Reading tell us both teens are still in school, and they are working with the families to see that the children get counseling.

Teens Charged In Animal Mutilation

Puppy Torturers Receive Strong Sentence – Congratulate Georgia DA!

Last August, two teenage brothers in Atlanta, GA, were charged with torturing and baking a three-month-old puppy to death. Just recently, justice was served - the brothers received the maximum sentence allowable in each of the nine counts under which they were charged. These sentences will be served concurrently, and in effect, the young men will serve 10 years in prison and 10 years under strict probation, for a total of 20 years.

The horrific death of this poor puppy touched animal lovers around the world, and the strong sentencing in this case highlights how strongly the public feels about cruelty toward animals.

Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard felt so strongly about seeking justice in this case – describing the death of this puppy as "so egregious it cries out for special attention" - that he sent a letter to Georgia Governor Sonny Purdue requesting that the penalty for animal cruelty be raised above the current five year maximum.

DA Howard should be applauded for his commitment to justice and the humane treatment of animals – please sign this petition today to congratulate him on success in this case!

Please sign the petition--We need to let lawyers and judges know we are watching these cases and applaud their serious attention to such terrible cases!