A man in his 60s is suspected of euthanizing his cat by cutting its throat on his own farm. He is now charged with aggravated animal cruelty.
According to the indictment, the neighbor’s children heard the cat scream and then went and told an adult about the incident. The cat was the same color as one of the children’s cats and they therefore thought that the man had cut the throat of their cat.
The children went with the adult to the man to make sure it was not their cat and then saw the dead cat.
The man says in the police interview that the cat was old and “almost lifeless” before he cut its throat. In a previous conversation with the County Administrative Board, which received the complaint, the man confirmed that the cat screamed when he cut its throat.
The county veterinarian: Severe suffering
He also says in police questioning that he looked around before killing the cat to make sure no one saw, but that with hindsight he should have chosen a different place than the yard.
According to the county veterinarian, the cat has been exposed to great suffering through physical pain and stress, and the veterinarian points out that it is not permitted to euthanize one’s cat in the way the man did.
The man denies any crime and says he euthanized the cat out of pure mercy.