Feral Cat Colony Murdered with Antifreeze

There are a few legal factors to look at.

If the cats were pets, able to produce paperwork from the Vets etc ...

Did the cats suffer. Again the vets would need to be called.

Proof that this person actually did it.

Even if you have a confession, they might look at how much this will cost the state in court cases.

sillysmiles

Ok, can I ask, is this something that the garda investigate or as feral animals do they fall into a legal no-mans-land?

deise08

When it happened here, it was the I.s.p.c.a. but the culprit was never found. They damage was already done though.

aaakev

[Deleted User] wrote: »

There are a few legal factors to look at.

If the cats were pets, able to produce paperwork from the Vets etc ...

Did the cats suffer. Again the vets would need to be called.

Proof that this person actually did it.

Even if you have a confession, they might look at how much this will cost the state in court cases.

sillysmiles wrote: »

Ok, can I ask, is this something that the garda investigate or as feral animals do they fall into a legal no-mans-land?

It doesn't matter one bit if they were pets or strays. The use of poison on anything other than rats or mice is illegal. Yes they can be prosecuted if there is enough evidence but someone saying they were told it was such and such will not be enough.

Teyla Emmagan

I am so sorry OP. What a horrific thing for anyone to have done. So horrible to poison a trusting animal through its food. People can do unspeakable things. Those poor cats :-(

kiffer

Just horrible... horrible horrible people.
Pointless petty cruelty.

boomerang

There is a €5,000 fine but the problem is being able to prove the culprit did it.

amcm81

Hi. My pet cat only 2 years old was found mysteriously dead 2 weeks ago. I have only found this thread now as a friend pointed it out. I am in the same area and believe he was poisoned too. I am devestated and disgusted that someone could do this. Pet or ferel, I dont understand how people can kill animals and why they feel cats are disposable. Very angry and frustrated that nothing can be done.

DBB

Really sorry to hear that acmc81, it is seriously frustrating alright that such a cruel and vandalous act will probably go unpunished :mad:

sparkle_23

It's disgusting, if people are capable of doing this to innocent cats what else could they do? Such a horrible thing to happen, so sad

agent graves

it is horrible for any animals to be poisoned. but do they know for definite it was people doing this on purpose. .. could it not have leaked out of a near by garage?
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PeteFalk78

Were these feral cats spayed?

The average number of litters a fertile cat can produce in one year is 3.

The average number of kittens in a feline litter is 4–6.

In seven years, one female cat and her offspring can theoretically produce 420,000 cats.

If the cats were captured and humanely killed then would there be such a outrage? Serious question.

Zulu

I'd sincerely doubt it; you don't see similar threads about veterinary practices or whathaveyou.

Mountainsandh

PeteFalk78 wrote: »

Were these feral cats spayed?

The average number of litters a fertile cat can produce in one year is 3.

The average number of kittens in a feline litter is 4–6.

In seven years, one female cat and her offspring can theoretically produce 420,000 cats.

If the cats were captured and humanely killed then would there be such a outrage? Serious question.

There's no excuse though. As mentioned earlier in the thread, the spaying/neutering was in process.
There's just no excuse for someone deciding to take the matter in their own hands, at serious risk to people's pets, and possibly children, etc...

I think the trap-neuter/spay-release schemes are pretty well advertised in every part of the country in fairness, maybe there's room for more publishing, so even non-pet owners know about what's going on, but there are articles, posters, and rescues try their best to encourage the schemes.

I'm rural but for example, a friend of mine who does not own pets and has no interest showed awareness of the scheme when he had a feral cats problem a while ago, in a very rural area.
It was all pretty easy and simple.
He decided to do the catching himself, someone easily contacted dropped cages at his place, he was assisted when it came to bringing them to the vets, and did not have to pay.

It's that simple.
No big hassle, no poison needed.
Fair play to rescues and vets who are offering that service, and who are the ones gathering funds to do it.

PeteFalk78

Mountainsandh wrote: »

. As mentioned earlier in the thread, the spaying/neutering was in process.

Apologies....missed that

Sam Mac

So sorry to hear this. So cruel. Can't even imagine the amount of pain these cats were in as they were being (very slowly, and painfully) poisoned. Its horrific to think people would even think of doing such a thing. I hope the person responsible is caught.