Animal activists have launched a petition demanding that a Utah man be investigated over images of him spraying a feral cat with a water hose as ‘punishment’.
In a widely circulated video on social media, the man was seen holding a bruiser while the undomesticated black cat was locked in a wire cage.
He was heard saying: “It’s time for him to take his punishment,” seconds before unleashing a jet of water on the trapped animal as they tried to push the cage away.
According to the Ogden man, the black cat had been showing up at his home for six months and attacking his own pet cat.
A northern Utah man was seen using a bruiser while the undomesticated black cat was locked in a wire cage in a widely shared video on social media
After the video went viral, cat lovers and activists launched a Change.org petition demands that the man be investigated for animal cruelty.
“Its potential to inflict such terror and pain on a harmless creature is worrying and frightening,” it says.
“The fact that he videotaped the abuse and posted about it on Facebook that the cat ‘deserved punishment’ is alarming. Especially since he has a young child and a pet at home (according to his video).”
The creator of the petition also claims that calls were made to Weber County Sheriff’s Office and Animal Services about the video, but no action was taken. They also state that it is unclear whether the cat survived the attack and where it is now.
DailyMail.com has contacted the Weber County Sheriff’s Office for comment.
The document has received 800 signatures out of a goal of 1,000.
Kendra Nilsen, who runs an animal shelter in northern Utah, said she was shocked after watching the video
Kendra Nilsen, who runs an animal shelter in northern Utah, said ABC that she was left shocked after watching the video.
‘If you can do that on video, what do you do outside of video? What else is happening? What else is going on?
“Once you cross that line, what other line are you going to cross?
‘I would like to see him prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law for animal cruelty.
‘It is an example for other people who want to make such a choice.’
According to Utah State Legislature“A person is guilty of cruelty to an animal if the person, without having the legal privilege to do so, intentionally, knowingly, recklessly or with criminal negligence injures an animal” and “guilty of aggravated cruelty to an animal if the person an animal tortures’. animal’.