PETA OFFERS UP TO $5,000 TO CATCH ANIMAL ABUSERS IN MANDURAH

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

For Immediate Release:
30 July 2015

Brisbane – A friendly cat named Houdini was found decapitated in the front yard of his home after he had been missing for two weeks. This isn’t the first instance of such an atrocity in the area: previous warning notices about decapitations appeared in central Mandurah, and there were reports in Rockingham last month of cats being skinned alive.

RSPCA investigators are looking into this barbaric crime, but no suspects have been identified. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Australia is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the identification and conviction of the person or persons responsible for this horrific 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 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 is imperative that any community faced with a sadistic and violent act such as the decapitation of Houdini 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 up to $50,000 and five years of imprisonment under the Animal Welfare Act  2002. Anyone with information about this case is encouraged to call the RSPCA on 1300 278 3589.

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

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