TX - Veterinarian under investigation for killing cat with arrow.

[jjenny]

If it was on her property it is feral, that it belonged to someone or not is irrelevant. They should have ensured that it stayed on their property in that case.

She wouldn't have known who the cat belonged to, just that it was hanging around making a nuisance of itself. In a rural area it isn't surprising that it got shot.

Maybe it was killing birds she was feeding in her back yard for all we know. My brother has a bunch of bunnies in his back garden, and the neighborhood cats routinely take the babies out. They find the left over bits in their garden in the morning.

I doubt that she has committed any crime, just chosen an unusual method to kill the cat and being inappropriately public about it. It looks like she got it with a clean shot, so there is no question of cruelty to animals or anything like that.

Irrelevant? People still let their cats out, especially in the country. And no, you can't legally shoot them even if you think they are feral. And if you actually take a look at the photo, the cat might not even be dead yet, but rather dying.

 

[Sonya610]

I've also just emailed from the UK.

I emailed them on saturday and got a reply back last night from the head of their PR Dept. It was a "canned" response probably because they are getting a ton of complaints.

 

[jjenny]

I emailed them on saturday and got a reply back last night from the head of their PR Dept. It was a "canned" response probably because they are getting a ton of complaints.

What did it say?

 

[MyBelle]

If it was on her property it is feral, that it belonged to someone or not is irrelevant. They should have ensured that it stayed on their property in that case.

She wouldn't have known who the cat belonged to, just that it was hanging around making a nuisance of itself. In a rural area it isn't surprising that it got shot.

Maybe it was killing birds she was feeding in her back yard for all we know. My brother has a bunch of bunnies in his back garden, and the neighborhood cats routinely take the babies out. They find the left over bits in their garden in the morning.

I doubt that she has committed any crime, just chosen an unusual method to kill the cat and being inappropriately public about it. It looks like she got it with a clean shot, so there is no question of cruelty to animals or anything like that.

It wasn't feral, it was a domesticated cat, somebody's pet. I don't agree with you and apparently the Sheriff doesn't either:

The Austin County Sheriff's Department announced Tuesday that investigators are recommending that animal cruelty charges be filed against a Texas veterinarian who killed a cat with a bow and arrow and then bragged about it online.

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2015/apr/20/veterinarian-photo-kills-cat-bow-arrow-outrage/

 

[Sonya610]

What did it say?

We have been made aware of this situation and have forwarded all information we have received to our Enforcement Division. We do take all issues brought to our attention seriously and will follow our procedures accordingly.

XXXX XXXXXX
HR Director/Public Information Officer
Texas Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners
333 Guadalupe, Suite 3-810
Austin, Texas 78701

 

[Sonya610]

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2015/apr/20/veterinarian-photo-kills-cat-bow-arrow-outrage/

I always thought they would do the right thing. The official announcement also makes it clear they are handing the "problem" off to the DA's office so the DA will be pestered with calls/emails instead of them. LOL

With the completion of the investigation, the Sheriff's Office will not release any further comments or updates to this case. Any comments, questions or information requests must be made directly to the District Attorney's Office.

 

[jjenny]

I always thought they would do the right thing. The official announcement also makes it clear they are handing the "problem" off to the DA's office so the DA will be pestered with calls/emails instead of them. LOL

With the completion of the investigation, the Sheriff's Office will not release any further comments or updates to this case. Any comments, questions or information requests must be made directly to the District Attorney's Office.

I guess they were in a hurry to get it off their hands. Didn't he say just recently they were waiting to talk to the woman?
Sounds like they forwarded it to DA's office without waiting for that conversation.

 

[mister happy]

I guess they were in a hurry to get it off their hands. Didn't he say just recently they were waiting to talk to the woman?
Sounds like they forwarded it to DA's office without waiting for that conversation.

Yes, this is a surprise. I thought the sheriff said, "we're taking our time to do things right" ... and also that Kristen Lindsay was going to speak with them this week with her lawyer.


ETA: But it's a pleasant surprise!

 

[Sonya610]

I guess they were in a hurry to get it off their hands. Didn't he say just recently they were waiting to talk to the woman?
Sounds like they forwarded it to DA's office without waiting for that conversation.

That was probably the Sheriff's initial thought but with all of the coverage this story got I would bet both the Sheriff and the DA received a LOT of advice from other police departments, lawyers, etc...

It is kind of funny, on Friday he said "the wheels of justice move slowly" and then barely one business day later he is announcing "We're done!" and throwing the case to the DA.

Plus he probably also realized that if his department did NOT recommend charges the whole furor would start up again and he would be flooded with hate mail and angry phone calls.

 

[believe09]

Or she declined the interview. Or she confessed. Tough to say.

It is appropriate to kick it to the DA. We dont know what evidence they discovered in their investigation-I am willing to bet there were a whole lot of tipsters.

 

[MyBelle]

I always thought they would do the right thing. The official announcement also makes it clear they are handing the "problem" off to the DA's office so the DA will be pestered with calls/emails instead of them. LOL

With the completion of the investigation, the Sheriff's Office will not release any further comments or updates to this case. Any comments, questions or information requests must be made directly to the District Attorney's Office.

I guess the DA will then hand it off to a grand jury so that john q. public can indict her. I can't figure out how this sadistic woman got through veterinary school in the first place.

JMO

 

[lonetraveler]

One thing that seems odd, has anyone heard a word from the owners? They must be aware of this, are they still on vacation? They have to be very upset about this, especially about the poor kitty being tortured as he died, being tortured/killed by a vet at their animal hospital, the arrogance involved in posting the photo etc...

If I were that psycho vet their silence would worry me. The saying "Don't get mad, get even" comes to mind.

All I can say is that I'm lucky, my cat is lucky and this sadistic, abuser and murderer of innocent animals is lucky that she did not kill my cat.

 

[lonetraveler]

BUT this is Texas, and Texas can be a little wacky. I have spent a lot of time in Texas, after having grown up elsewhere, and it is one weird place. Many people are of the mentality that animals are 'just' animals. Ferrel cats are a nuisance, dogs are kept outdoors in 100+ degree days, etc. The sheriff can have that type of attitude. Where I am from, pets are family, but it's not like that for everyone. IMO she belongs in jail because that is a horrid thing to do, especially as people are claiming that cat was a pet.

Unfortunately people who just kill innocent animals for the fun of it aren't just in Texas, they are everywhere. I posted yesterday that I did not believe a word the Sheriff said and I still don't. He isn't about to do anything about this case unless he is forced to do so by higherups. If a grand jury is convened, the jury pool will be pulled from people who probably don't think that this sadistic, murderer of animals did anything wrong. By the time this is "handled", the cat will be portrayed as a wild, vicious, rabid cat she had to put down for the public's safety. I truly hope I'm wrong but IMO, I'm not.

 

[lonetraveler]

If it was on her property it is feral, that it belonged to someone or not is irrelevant. They should have ensured that it stayed on their property in that case.

She wouldn't have known who the cat belonged to, just that it was hanging around making a nuisance of itself. In a rural area it isn't surprising that it got shot.

Maybe it was killing birds she was feeding in her back yard for all we know. My brother has a bunch of bunnies in his back garden, and the neighborhood cats routinely take the babies out. They find the left over bits in their garden in the morning.

I doubt that she has committed any crime, just chosen an unusual method to kill the cat and being inappropriately public about it. It looks like she got it with a clean shot, so there is no question of cruelty to animals or anything like that.

No, just because a cat walks across your property, it is not considered feral. Also, I'd like to offer that I can't imagine this woman actually feeding birds, unless she was using rat poison to feed them. What she did was unusually cruel and heartless. I guess some people think that it is A OK to shoot anything that moves.

 

[lonetraveler]

Vet office makes a statement in this article:

http://abc13.com/news/sheriff-still-investigating-vet-who-posted-photo-with-dead-cat/672922/

 

[ceecee30]

In your link lonetraveler I found this...

Colorado State University Statement

https://m.facebook.com/CSUVetHospital/posts/10152688033416968

 

[Kateyes]

The cat was a living breathing creature. I cannot believe anyone could agree with what this vet did, although some see nothing wrong with it. If a cat, or any animal, is a "nuisance" what is wrong with calling the humane society, and having the animal picked up?? Even if the humane society/animal shelter is not a no-kill, and cannot get the animal adopted, and the animal is euthanized, it would have been done in a humane manner, and after the animal at least had a chance! How could anyone ever bring their pet cat to this vet when she has so obviously stated that cats should be killed if a nuisance?? Anyone with such a disregard for animal life should not have a veterinary license - ever. JMO

 

[Kateyes]

I forgot to add that we worry about children who are cruel to animals because it could indicate a lack of empathy, and a budding little sociopath. How is that princple any different when applied to this woman who - tragically - has a vet's license??? An adult who purposely murders a cat because it was a "nuisance and feral" displays a disturbing lack of empathy - how far does that lack of empathy extend for her? Why post such a hideous act on FB ?? IMO this woman has some deep-seated issues, and I hope anyone who has ever taken their animal to her will think long and hard, and choose another vet. The lack of empathy is at best alarming.

 

[Sonya610]

I forgot to add that we worry about children who are cruel to animals because it could indicate a lack of empathy, and a budding little sociopath.

And that is why the FBI now has a task devoted to animal abuse; it isn't because the feds actually care about animals, it is being used as a predictor to prevent violence against humans. Hopefully it will benefit animals anyway.

 

[Sonya610]

I posted yesterday that I did not believe a word the Sheriff said and I still don't. He isn't about to do anything about this case unless he is forced to do so by higherups.

Did you see the official statement from the Sheriff posted this morning? They have finished the investigation and forwarded it to the DA.

If there was NO evidence of wrong doing they would not have forwarded it to the DA. The Sheriff did his job.