On November 16, a deadlocked jury led to a mistrial in the case of the Galveston birder charged with felony cruelty for intentionally shooting and killing a cat with a .22-caliber rifle. The man’s lawyer reported that his client went to the San Luis Pass Bridge with “an intent to kill” and admits to shooting the cat, but that he claims he did so to protect piping plovers, an endangered species of bird that winters in Galveston. The national media has since reported that the case hinged on proving the cat was “owned” by John Newland, a man who had put out food, blankets, and toys for this and other cats living under the bridge.

Let’s set the record straight: Intentionally killing a cat is a criminal offense in all fifty states and the District of Columbia, regardless of ownership. Anti-cruelty laws apply to all cats—pet, abandoned, lost, and feral—and there is no such thing as a “piping plover defense.” Read more here.

FAST FACTS
About Anti-Cruelty Laws

• 50 states and DC have anti-cruelty laws that
   make intentionally killing a cat a crime.

• 43 states and DC have felony penalties for
   aggravated acts of animal cruelty.

• 8 states authorize courts to include animals in
  protective orders in domestic violence cases.

• 28 states authorize mental health evaluations
  or counseling upon conviction of anti-cruelty
  charges.

Violence Has Many Victims

Psychiatric and criminological research has established a relationship between cruelty to animals and a host of other violent behaviors.

This research suggests that a single violent individual may lash out against multiple defenseless victims, and that any aggressive act—regardless of the identify of the victim—may be a predictor of future violent acts, as well as an indicator of current antisocial behavior. Ongoing research is exploring why people become aggressive and how that violence becomes a pattern of behavior.

Researchers are also investigating the negative consequences of children and adults witnessing acts of violence towards animals and humans, and how and why those witnesses are more likely to become violent themselves.

Click here for a bibliography.

Galveston Cat-Cruelty Case

The Prosecutor Speaks

Assistant District Attorney Paige Lynne Santell (lower right) prosecuted the cruelty trial against Jim Stevenson for shooting and killing a cat. Alley Cat Allies recently interviewed Ms. Santell to get her insight into the case. (Click here to hear portions of that interview.)

Galveston Cruelty Case Won't Be Retried

The Galveston County District Attorney's office decided not to retry the case of the Galveston, Texas, man charged with animal cruelty for shooting and killing a feral cat. The trial ended in deadlock on Friday, November 16, with eight of 12 jurors voting to convict. It is important to note that although defendant was not found guilty, he was also not found innocent.

While the decision not to retry is disappointing, Texas law has recently been clarified to expressly protect feral cats, and to make it unequivocally clear that anyone who intentionally kills any cat in the future will have violated Texas anti-cruelty law. (Click here to learn more about Texas anti-cruelty law.)

Read the letter Alley Cat Allies sent the Galveston County District Attorney urging him to retry the case.

For more information about the case, click here.

Some people mistakenly think killing cats will save declining bird populations, but the real cause of decline is human destruction of habitat. Click here to learn more.