(TW) Boldts looking for the killer of their pet cat

[Guest guest]

Boldts looking for the killer of their pet cat

The China Post staff

2006/9/26

 

Detlef Boldt, director-general of the Germany Institute in Taipei, and Mrs.

Boldt are looking for a killer of their pet cat themselves, because police

seem unable to help them.

 

The kitten, which answered to the name of Tiger, was found dead, with its

two fore paws severed, near the home in Tienmu of the Boldts in last June.

 

Tiger, born of a stray tabby the Boldts adopted, was lost on June 14.

 

On the following day, the Boldts heard the tabby, Charity moaned. She found

her kitty.

 

Mrs. Boldt reported the case to Shihlin police, who, however, said they

could offer little help.

 

She said police told her it's just a pet that was killed. " It's not a human

being who has been killed, " a foreign affairs police officer was quoted as

saying.

 

There was some misunderstanding, a Shihlin police chief said yesterday.

 

Captain Chow Wen-keh, director of the Shihlin police precinct, said the

residence of the Boldts was well guarded. " We found no intrusion or

trespassing, " he added.

 

Monitor cameras have caught no images of an intruder, the police captain

said. The chances are that Tiger might be killed by a lawn mower, he pointed

out.

 

In particular, Chow said police investigated the killing of a pet just as

they do for murder. " It's a felony, " he added.

 

But, according to the law, a convicted killer of a pet can only be fined

NT$50,000. " That's the law, and that's what we told Mrs. Boldt, " the police

chief said.

 

He regretted that there might be a mistake in translation.

 

Disappointed by the police action, the Boldts want to catch the killer

themselves.

 

They believed a veterinarian who examined Tiger.

 

The veterinarian concluded the kitten was doped first, killed and then had

its paws cut off with a quick scythe.

 

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said the existing

animal protection law will be amended shortly to require imprisonment of pet

killers.

 

" We want a prison term of at least one year for the animal haters, " said a

SPCA spokesman.

 

http://www.chinapost.com.tw/i_latestdetail.asp?id=41290

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Agriculture council to stiffen penalties for animal abuse

 

PRISON TIME: The COA plans to make animal abuse a criminal offense, meaning

that violaters could face a jail term

By Flora Wang

STAFF REPORTER

Wednesday, Aug 16, 2006,Page 2

 

Animal may face criminal punishment for serious abuse in the future, the

Council of Agriculture (COA) said yesterday.

 

According to the council's proposed amendment to the Animal Protection Act

(°Êª««OÅ@ªk), those who cause intrusive harm to an animal or physical

disability may be sentenced to one year in prison.

 

Wang Chung-shu (¤ý©¾®¤), a technical specialist in the Animal Husbandry

Department's husbandry administration section, told the Taipei Times that

although discussions were still ongoing between the council and legal

professionals over whether it was appropriate to add criminal punishment to

the law, the council was firm in its decision.

 

INTERNET POSTING

 

Wang said the move came in response to a recent cat abuse case, in which a

man who holds a master's degree abused a kitten and posted pictures of the

abuse on Web sites in China.

 

The man's actions have drawn widespread public condemnation and prompted

animal activists to plea for criminal penalties for animal abusers.

 

Wang that those involved in mild animal abuse would face a penalty of up to

NT$50,000, the same punishment mandated under the current regulation.

 

He added that the proposal also contained an emergency protection article

for animals, allowing law enforcement officers to rescue abused animals

under emergency circumstances without first obtaining a warrant.

 

He said the proposal was still under discussion, but senior officials at the

council would like to send the proposal to the legislature as soon as

possible.

 

ACTIVIST RESPONDS

 

Responding to the proposal, Chen Yu-min (³¯¥É±Ó), spokeswoman for the

Environment and Animal Society of Taiwan, an animal rights group, said that

public discussions should be held to reach a concensus on the severity of

the punishments.

 

The society believes that a better way to prevent animal abuse would be to

add a law to the Criminal Code banning all abuse, she said, adding that

studies from other countries showed that 80 percent of animal abusers often

abused children and women as well.

 

She said the society would work with other civic groups and legislators to

draft a " more serious amendment " to address more animal protection issues.

 

The Animal Protection Act was enacted in 1998. It is part of the country's

administrative regulations, so the punishment for animal abusers is milder

than that in other countries, according to the council.

 

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2006/08/16/2003323369/wiki

[Guest guest]

>The kitten, which answered to the name of Tiger, was found dead, with its

>two fore paws severed, near the home in Tienmu of the Boldts in last June.

>

>Monitor cameras have caught no images of an intruder, the police captain

>said. The chances are that Tiger might be killed by a lawn mower, he pointed

>out.

 

 

This type of injury is typical of accidents involving both

animals who hide in tall grass as a grass or hay mowing machine with

a cutter bar approaches, and animals (usually cats) who sleep on a

warm automobile engine block and suffer amputation from the fan

blades when the engine is started.

 

I have seen such situations myself several times.

 

Veterinarians and animal advocates who lack specific forensic

investigative training are notoriously poor forensic examiners,

having a tendency to see crime where the explanations are actually

much simpler, and also a tendency to not recognize injuries

inflicted by ordinary animal predation. Most of the animal-inflicted

injuries that vets see result from dominance disputes, in which the

attacks tend to be frontal. These are very different from injuries

inflicted by predators, which tend to be from above and behind.

 

My next two postings give further particulars. Where coyotes

are mentioned, read " jackals, " as they are very nearly the same

animal.

 

 

 

--

Merritt Clifton

Editor, ANIMAL PEOPLE

P.O. Box 960

Clinton, WA 98236

 

Telephone: 360-579-2505

Fax: 360-579-2575

E-mail: anmlpepl

Web: www.animalpeoplenews.org

 

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