From WISTV.com - our local news. The initial reward was $250, then it doubled to $500 and now its at $4000 because people are donating money to the reward fund. I cannot understand how anyone can do something like this...
(Columbia, SC) Aug. 1, 2006 - A reward of $4,000 is now being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for mutilating a cat. The reward amount has been raised more than once as efforts are redoubled to find the person responsible.
Pedro, a three-year-old cat and family pet, was found mutilated in the Woodlands Ridge subdivision, only a few blocks from Spring Valley High School. His owners found him.
A news release states portions of the cat had been surgically altered or removed entirely. Josh Gowans of the SPCA says, "The cat had been discovered, displayed out in a somewhat peculiar manner. It was missing certain body parts, certain organs on the inside as well."
Gowans says they think the cat was killed by a dog, but later mutilated by a person. "It was fairly clear that something sharp had been used on this cat."
"I worry about it. There's a, a strong correlation between abusing animals and abusing people, so it's, you know, it's a cause for concern."
That's why Gowans says the Humane Society is investigating the cat's death, "In cases like this that are difficult to prosecute, there's typically not a whole lot of evidence and there's not a whole lot of identifying factors."
Officials have very few leads in the case, and Gowans says until they can find out who did this to Pedro, he is issuing a warning to people in the neighborhood. "Well I think people should probably keep their pets indoors for a little while, at least, in that area."
Anyone with information about the incident or wishing to donate to the reward fund can contact the South Carolina Humane Society at (803) 783-1267.
