Justice for Cat Microwaved by Lebanese Man!

A viral video circulating last week showed a Lebanese man microwaving his cat twice while he and the cameraman laughed. Though the cat appears to have survived the incident, its health and life was put in danger for the sick amusement of the two men and their spectators.

In the absence of Lebanese animal welfare laws, the cat's owner will face no punishment and the cat can remain in his "care." According to Michelle Matta, Animals Lebanon's office manager, "The only thing we can legally do is talk to the guardian and try to convince him what he did is bad and to give us the animal, but he has the right to bring the police and kick us out."

Animals Lebanon has drafted an animal welfare law in coordination with the Agriculture Ministry. The proposed law would criminalize cruel acts like the microwave incident, forcing violators to pay a fine for the first offense and face a prison sentence of up to two years for repeat offenses. We believe it is time for Lebanon to take animal cruelty seriously, both for the sake of animals and to protect society from these disturbing events and their repercussions. It is well known that animal abusers often go on to hurt humans. We respectfully urge you to pass the proposed animal welfare law. Thank you for taking the time to read and consider our petition.