(HK) 10 youngsters held over killing of cat

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South China Morning Post

CITY, By Clifford Lo 2008-03-06

 

10 youngsters held over killing of cat

 

Police have arrested 10 young people on suspicion of beating a cat to

death with two wooden batons in Siu Sai Wan early yesterday.

 

Officers were called when residents saw a group of youngsters chasing

and beating a cat on a hillside outside Hiu Tsui Court in Hiu Tsui

Street at 1.44am.

 

The black and white female cat was found dead in a drain when officers

arrived. They arrested nine youths, aged between 14 and 25, and a

13-year-old girl. All the suspects live in the area.

 

 

Two men, 19 and 24, were charged with one count of cruelty to animals.

The pair will appear in Eastern Court tomorrow. Last night, they were

released on bail.

 

The rest were released on bail and are required to report back to police

next month.

 

The 10 youths were arrested for cruelty to animals, a police spokeswoman

said. The offence carries a maximum penalty of three years' imprisonment

and a HK$200,000 fine.

 

The cat carcass was sent to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to

Animals for examination. It was a domestic, short-haired adult female

cat, society public relations manager Rebecca Ngan Yee-ling said.

 

Our vet will examine and check the injuries the cat suffered and then we

will compile a medical report and submit it to the police, she said.

 

 

In January, police issued internal guidelines on handling animal abuse

cases for frontline officers.

 

The guidelines include an outline of the ordinances and responsibilities

of police when involved in animal abuse cases.

 

They also advise officers on how to deal with evidence and cases they

should refer to a crime investigation team.

 

The guidelines came from a taskforce set up in November involving

police, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, Agriculture,

Fisheries and Conservation Department and the SPCA.

 

 

Last year police investigated 62 animal abuse cases, an increase from 53

in 2006 and 29 in 2005. Twenty arrests were made in connection with the

cases last year.

 

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