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TO NATIONAL EDITORS:
Police Officer Admits to Shooting and Killing Pet Cat--Alley Cat
Allies Calls on Bloomfield, Nebraska to Take Action
BETHESDA, Md., March 7, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Alley Cat
Allies, the only national advocacy organization dedicated to the
protection and humane treatment of cats, today called for city leaders
in Bloomfield, Neb. to reevaluate their policies for cats after a
police officer unlawfully shot and killed a trapped pet cat. City
officials fail to enforce existing state and local laws regarding
animals.
The case involves a Bloomfield police officer, who admitted that on
January 21, he trapped Larry, a two-year-old neutered cat who belonged
to a local resident, shot him immediately and dumped his body behind a
city maintenance shed.
"The Officer openly admitted this series of events took place, and was
given a mere written warning. In other words, a sworn law enforcement
officer received a slap on the wrist for violating several laws-that
is unconscionable," said Becky Robinson, president and founder of
Alley Cat Allies.
Local ordinances and state laws broken include Bloomfield
ordinance section 6-112, which requires that captured and impounded
dogs and cats should be "treated in a humane manner" and "kept and
maintained at the pound for a period" of three to five days. According
to local residents, this law is routinely violated, Robinson said.
Additional local and state laws broken by the Officer's action:
-- Bloomfield ordinance section 6-106-states that owners of cats and
dogs found outside "shall be notified in writing by the Police
Department of their violation," meaning Larry should have been
impounded and the owners notified that he was at large.
-- Bloomfield ordinance section 6-107-authorizes the killing by
officers of dogs and cats whose "capture is impossible." Because the
Officer was able to trap Larry, clearly capture was not "impossible,"
and the killing was not authorized.
-- Nebraska State Law R.R.S. Neb. section 28-1009, which states that
"a person who cruelly mistreats an animal is guilty of a Class I
misdemeanor for the first offense and a Class IV felony for any
subsequent offense;" and defines cruel mistreatment as "knowingly and
intentionally kill[ing], maim[ing], disfigure[ing]," and otherwise
harming an animal.
"Laws that protect animals are on the books for a reason," said
Robinson. "They reflect our values as a society-and it is crucial
that they are upheld. The fact that a police officer could so
blatantly ignore the law is very disturbing and should be a huge red
flag for residents and city officials."
Alley Cat Allies has reached out to town officials and asked for a
meeting to develop proper policy and programs to ensure laws are
followed-and to provide educational training for staff and police.
About Alley Cat Allies
Alley Cat Allies is the only national advocacy organization dedicated
to the protection and humane treatment of cats. Founded in 1990, today
Alley Cat Allies has more than half a million supporters and helps
tens of thousands of individuals, communities, and organizations save
and improve the lives of cats and kittens nationwide. Its website is
www.alleycat.org.
Available Topic Expert: For information on the listed expert, click
appropriate link.
Becky Robinson - http://www.profnetconnect.com/becky\_robinson
SOURCE Alley Cat Allies
-0- 03/07/2014
/CONTACT: Johnnie Simpson, Media@alleycat.org, (240) 482-3895, or Francie Israeli, Fisraeli@kellenadams.com, (202) 207-1134
/Web Site: https://www.alleycat.org
CO: Alley Cat Allies
ST: Nebraska Maryland
SU: AVO ANW PET PSF STP
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0000 03/07/2014 15:25:00 EDT http://www.prnewswire.com
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