PETA OFFERS UP TO $5,000 REWARD TO CATCH ANIMAL KILLER

Group Hopes to Bring Person or Persons Responsible for Appalling Cruelty to Justice

For Immediate Release:
3 September 2015

Darwin – A camel named Twinkles and a donkey named See-See were savagely killed in Tennant Creek this week. Bob Warde, manager of Banka Banka Station, moved the animals to his property around midday on Tuesday. When he checked on them later that afternoon, he found that they had been shot with arrows. The pair had been raised together since they were babies.

Police said that the arrows appeared to be compound bow arrows, which are controlled weapons in the Northern Territory. They’re calling for information about a very dark blue or black late-model four-wheel-drive vehicle that was seen in the area, but no suspects have yet been identified. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Australia is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the identification and conviction of those responsible for this cruel act.

Because animals can’t report their own abuse and can do little to fight back, they’re the perfect “practice” victims for those who tend towards violence.

Research in psychology and criminology shows that people who commit acts of cruelty against against animals often go on to commit violent acts against fellow humans. As long as the perpetrator of this crime is at large, other animals – including humans – might also be in danger. History shows that serial rapists and murderers often have histories of past incidents involving cruelty to animals. Young killers Mary Bell, Robert Thompson and Jon Venables; John Travers, the ringleader of the gang that raped and killed Anita Cobby; and serial murderers Fred West, Dennis Nilsen, Ian Brady and Jeffrey Dahmer all started out by deliberately harming animals.

“It’s imperative that any community faced with a violent act such as the shooting of Twinkles and See-See take measures to find the culprit or culprits and bring them to justice”, says PETA Australia Director of Campaigns Jason Baker. “Animal abusers are a danger to everyone – they take their issues out on whoever is available to them, human or non-human, and must be caught before they act again. We’re appealing to anyone with information about those responsible for this cruel act to come forward now so that the perpetrator or perpetrators can be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

Cruelty to animals carries a penalty of more than $20,000 or 18 months imprisonment under the Animal Welfare Act. Anyone with information about this case is encouraged to call the police on 13 14 44 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

For more information about cruelty to animals, please visit PETA.org.au.

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