Fury over clip of Utah man torturing caged feral cat he wanted to 'punish' for attacking his pet kitty
Animal activists have launched a petition demanding that a Utah man be investigated over footage of him spraying a feral cat with a water hose as 'punishment'.
The man was seen holding a powerhouse while the undomesticated black cat was locked inside a wire cage in a widely circulating social media video.
He was heard saying, 'it's time he took his punishment' seconds before unleashing a spray of water on the trapped animal as they try to push the cage away.
According to the Ogden man, the black feline had been showing up at his house and attacking his own pet cat for six months.
A northern Utah man was seen holding a powerhouse while the undomesticated black cat was locked inside a wire cage in a widely circulating social media video
After the video went viral, cat lovers and activists launched a Change.org petition demanding that the man be investigated for animal abuse.
'His potential to inflict such terror and pain on a harmless creature is concerning and frightening,' it states.
'The fact that he video taped the abuse and posted about it on Facebook saying the cat "deserved punishment" is alarming. Especially since he has a young child and a pet at home (according his video).'
The petition creator also alleges that calls have been made to Weber County Sheriff's Office and Animal Services about the video but no action has been taken. They also state that it is unclear if the cat survived the attack and where it is now.
DailyMail.com has reached out to the Weber County Sheriff's Office for a comment.
The document has received 800 signatures out of its 1,000 goal.
Kendra Nilsen, who runs an animal rescue in northern Utah said that she was left horrified after watching the video
Kendra Nilsen, who runs an animal rescue in northern Utah, told ABC that she was left horrified after watching the video.
'If you can do that on video, what are you doing off video? What else is happening? What else is going on?
'Once you've crossed that line, what other line are you going to cross?
'I would love to see him prosecuted to the very fullest extent of the law for animal cruelty.
'It sets an example for other people who want to make a choice like that.'
According to Utah State legislature, 'a person is guilty of cruelty to an animal if the person, without 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 tortures an animal'.
