Cat Killer on the Loose in East Providence, RI

A $1,700 reward is being offered in East Providence, Rhode Island to anyone who can provide information that leads to the arrest and conviction of a cat killer, according to the Projo 7 to 7 News Blog. Since 1896, crimes of animal cruelty are considered a felony in the state of Rhode Island. A gray and white male tiger cat was found hanging from a tree by a man walking with his grandchild on Sunday, September 19. The cat was wearing a pink collar without an identification tag and was estimated to be between 5 and 7-years-old. Upon discovering the cat, both the police and the property owner were notified. The cat was definitely not a stray, according to Dr. E.G. Finocchio, president of the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RISPCA). He said, "The cat was in excellent condition. It had good body flesh and no fleas. It had no wounds from being in fights. Someone was definitely feeding the cat and taking care of the cat. Someone in the neighborhood would definitely recognize this cat." The heinous nature of this brutal act was highlighted last Wednesday, after the necropsy completed by Finocchio revealed that the cat was hanged alive. He recommended that whomever perpetrated this act come forward. Cats permitted to roam unsupervised are at great risk for injury or death. Those wearing solid collars without a breakaway feature are liable to accidentally hang themselves. But for this unfortunate cat that was not the case. This was no accident. According to information given by the RISPCA this was clearly an intentional act of brutal and sadistic cruelty. A shoelace was wrapped around a fence post, passed through a branch and tied to the cat's collar. The RISPCA suspects the crime may have been committed by kids. Finocchio refused to release any graphic photos of the cat. He added, "It was a very agonizing death. The claws marks on the branch we have are horrendous. It was clawing to save itself. We found bark and tree fiber in the cat's mouth and stomach, because it was trying to save itself." What can be done to stop these violent acts of animal cruelty? Share your ideas in a comment. Image Source: Flickr User Maccio Capatonda