Two cats, dead and discarded in a dumpster is a tragedy. But for authorities in St. Lucie County, Florida, the details were murky -- and getting to the bottom of this case would
break their hearts again and again.Sign to demand justice for these cats!When police arrived on the scene, they found that the cats had been cruelly discarded like trash in a dumpster. They talked to a suspect who denied having anything to do with their deaths -- even claiming that one of the cats, Dean, had died after choking on a hairball in a horrible accident.
But just hours later,
this man confessed -- clearly unable to stand the guilt.
He admitted to choking and strangling Dean to death after the cat had scratched him while they were playing (a normal behavior for a cat). From reporting details, it is unclear what happened to the other cat.
And it was clear to authorities that this was the truth: Dean had sustained
"bruising and hemorrhaging in the eyes" which are "consistent with strangulation."Clearly, this man needs help. When he confessed, he was truly regretful, stating that he missed the cat already and that he "just wanted Dean to like him."
While there is no excuse for enacting such violence against an animal, his confession speaks volumes.
We must demand that prosecutors keep other animals safe by including mandatory mental health counseling as part of this man's sentencing. Jail time or a fine will not fix the issues he is clearly suffering from, but professional help could.
Sign the petition to demand justice for Dean in the form of mandatory counseling for this man! 