A man has been arrested and charged with animal cruelty after a cat was found beaten to death inside a Brookhaven, Mississippi animal shelter last Friday.
Jody Cothron, 39, entered the Brookhaven Animal Rescue League (BARL) Friday afternoon and asked to see all the cats that were available for adoption. Normally, a cat caregiver would have been present while Cothron was in the room with the adoptable cats, but the entire staff was busy trying to catch a dog that had gotten loose, so Cothron was alone in the cat room.
According to the Daily Leader:
When the caregiver entered the cat room, she found blood splattered around the room and a plastic stick was in pieces from where the man allegedly hit the cat.
Caretakers found Tilly, a small 3-year old cat, in her kennel with the door open, barely breathing. They rushed her to the veterinarian where she later died.
Police have charged Jody Cothron with aggravated animal cruelty – a misdemeanor with a maximum fine of only $2,500. He was arrested on Monday and quickly released on bond.
Sadly, this man will probably only pay a fine for what he’s done and will face little to no jail time. The incident has BARL calling for stricter laws to protect animals in Mississippi.
From the BARL Facebook Page:
Let’s hope that what happened to Tilly may become a catalyst for strengthening our animal cruelty laws. Again, thank you all. Together we can make a difference!
UPDATE: A petition has been created to demand the maximum penalty for this crime. Click here to view and sign.
