Teen arrested over suspected fatal abuse of pet cat
Thestandard · 1 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago2 MIN
Summary
A 14-year-old male student was arrested in Hong Kong on suspicion of animal cruelty after an eight-month-old grey and white cat belonging to his classmate died while being fostered during the owner’s trip outside the city . The case surfaced last week when the student took the cat to Pets R Us Veterinary Centre, where a veterinarian found blood around the animal’s mouth and nose and later pronounced it dead .
Key Points
- Police said the cat was allegedly slapped and kicked inside a residence on the same day before the student, surnamed Chan, was arrested .
- The cat was completely soaked and had fluid accumulation in its abdomen when it was brought to the clinic for emergency treatment .
- Clinic staff found the cat was no longer breathing, had suffered incontinence, and was covered in sand during the examination .
- The student first said the cat hurt itself while jumping around in panic, then said he trapped it in a bathroom and sprayed it with a showerhead .
- He also told clinic staff he used a broom to force the cat into a pet carrier, while the owner later declined emergency resuscitation .
Why It Matters
The case has drawn attention because it involves a minor and the death of a pet that had been left in a classmate’s temporary care . The cat’s remains were later handed to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, indicating the case may continue to draw scrutiny from animal welfare groups and the public in Hong Kong .