There is a simmering undercurrent of loathing by cat haters directed at decent ladies who tenderly feed feral and community cats. It erupts into pure hate-filled violence from time to time. This is an example.
This little vignette of violence concerns one of the icons of hero worship: the firefighter. They are a bit macho aren’t they? They have to be to be effective firefighters. Ladies love firefighters unless they beat the lady into unconsciousness.
A woman was feeding street cats in the West Adams district of Los Angeles. It was probably part of a trap-neuter-return program. It often is. They are usually volunteers doing free work for the community. For me, these are good women who deserve praise.
No so for firefighter Ian Justin Eulian who got into an argument with her. Apparently (allegedly), he approached her and loudly complained – yes he shouted. The lady was sitting in her car.
I am guessing that the woman stood her ground and the argument developed and escalated. The woman threw some dry cat food at the man. Big deal. Quite a ladylike thing to do, when you think about it.
Then the actual bodily violence commenced. It is reported that Eulian then punched her, dragged her from her car and punched her again leaving her on the ground apparently unconscious. In the meantime Eulian’s mother (whose 70 years of age) who was with him slapped the lady several times.
The whole incident was videoed on security cameras preventing this violent couple from wriggling out of the crime they had allegedly perpetrated.
I have to state “alleged” because these people are yet to be convicted. This is a serious assault if proved and it carries a 7 year maximum sentence for Eulian on conviction. His mother might get 4 years in prison (max).
This case really highlights the simmering conflict between the passive and gentle feral cat supporters and the people, often macho men, who think it is preferable to eradicate feral cats – i.e. shoot them.
The interesting backdrop to this story is that Los Angeles lawmakers, council men and women, are debating a new ordinance which, as I understand it, grants some rights to feral cats. They will have the right to remain on people’s land. Property owners will lose the right to remove them. TNR is to be put into law (codified).
It appears that Los Angeles has accepted that feral cats should part of the landscape and treated as community cats as they are in Jerusalem, Israel for example. They provide a service and are part of the urban ecosystem. At the same time, however, more needs to be done to improve the standards of cat ownership and cat caretaking.
- Search results for “Los Angeles” on PoC.
- Associated: Another example years ago regarding feeding feral cats in Beverly Hills.
- Source: :LA Times
I could be mistaken, but didn’t this woman throw something at him? What gives her the right to throw cat food in his face because they were arguing? This is just silly. You gotta love animal weirdos overlooking human rights. Also, if you endangered your well being for an animal you’re a bloody weirdo. That is simply a weird thing to say.
You use the phrase “animal weirdos”. I don’t know what that means. Do you mean that people who like animals are weird? Or do you think that people who really like animals and want to help them are weird? Either way there are hundreds of millions of people who like animals and want to help animals; they can’t all be weird. Perhaps it is you who is weird with your weird ideas?
You say that if a person endangers his or her own well-being for an animal you have to be weird yet there are millions of people who would do this. Almost daily you read about a person trying to save their dog from some sort of catastrophe and the person dies or is hurt in the process. This is commonplace. I suppose to you these are weird people.
To me they aren’t weird. To me they’re good people who want to help a vulnerable companion animal. They care about other creatures on this planet. They’re not just self-centred egotists thinking about themselves. They may even prefer animals to people and I can understand that when I read the sort of comment you made.
What a terrible story! That poor woman was just helping homeless cats and ended up being attacked by that thug in fireman’s clothing and his mother. What is wrong with cat haters that they are so passionately against the people who care for cats, why so much hatred, I don’t understand!
Cat lovers don’t go around targeting people who love dogs, they can be a damn nuisance barking constantly and messing where people walk and jumping up with muddy paws but they are dogs doing what dogs do and no one attacks their owners or tries to turn dog lovers against dogs like cat haters do to cat people.
I hope that thug and his mother both go to prison!
It is horrendous that it can come down to this. I do believe there is a segment of society in America who have a fear and hatred of the feral cat and as a result they hate people who like feral cats and who want to do the decent thing. This incident is the the worst example of animosity towards a person who likes cats and feeds feral cats that I have read about. There are lots of examples but non are examples of pure serious criminality like this.
Theres a lot in the LA local news about this man (thug would be a better word).
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-la-firefighter-and-mom-arrested-for-beating-woman-for-feeding-stray-cats-20130924,0,7840282.story
It can only be about a deep hatred for feral cats; why after all would someone lose all control like that? What gave him the right to poke his nose in and confront a stranger anyway? never mind assaulting her and then his mother joins in as well! Worst is they beat her unconscious!
Its interesting that some people think that its perfectly acceptable to force your views on another person literally with physical violence but there again this is a way of life for some.
Personally if I saw someone abusing any animal I would risk my own personal safety and yes I would get physical to protect myself and the animal. This however is different in that this lady was going about her legitimate business then because this thug has a difference of opinion he lays into her verbally and then physically. I think the judicial system should throw the book at him and lock him up and his horrible mother.
There are loads of things in society that really gets on my nerves such as too loud music, litter droppers, benefit scroungers and naturally the really horrible stuff that most people hate yet I wouldn’t just go up to someone, rant then slap and punch them because they had dropped a piece of litter!!!
On a positive note it will be good news for feral cats if LA affords them some protection perhaps then these nutters will think twice when they are protected by law!
Well said, Leah. Hard to add anything.
Sadly, I’ll bet the sentences will be light.
Minimally, I hope that he will never be allowed to work in any sort of public service position again.
So many people see firemen as heros saving little kitties. He’s a disgrace to the profession.
He and his mommy need to be sentenced to a lifetime of SUPERVISED community service caretaking feral cat colonies!
Absolutely Michael a most fitting ‘punishment’ 🙂