AUSTRALIA: Te Raukura Anahera Alexander, 19, lived in a Brisbane property with housemates. She owns or owned two kittens. She became enraged when allegedly housemates mishandled her kittens. There was a simmering dispute which erupted when her kittens wandered into a housemate’s room. It is reported that the kittens or a kitten scratched the person on the hand.
Another female housemate allegedly picked up the kitten and threw him/her across the room. Alexander verbally threatened one of the housemates. Apparently she told the police that she had hoped that they would kill themselves.
The following day allegedly Alexander allegedly slashed all four tyres of a car parked at the shared property and police were called out.
When the police arrived it is reported that Alexander confessed to placing a teaspoonful of liquid Mortein Peaceful Nights mosquito repellent into yoghurt and milk. Police later seized a container of the insect repellent from a bed in Alexander’s room. The contaminated food and drink was not consumed.
Subsequently, Alexander was charged with two counts of attempting to injure by noxious substances, assault and wilful damage. She has appeared at the magistrates court already. She has been ordered to live with her father, not to return to her former home, to steer clear of her former housemates and to reappear at court on March 29. She refused to speak to the news media.
Comment: this brand of mosquito repellent is hazardous to human health according to my research. It can cause lung damage if swallowed and may cause sensitisation by skin contact. It may cause an allergic skin reaction and it can be fatal if swallowed and enters the airways. It is very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects. You have to handle it with protective gloves. If swallowed you should immediately call a poison centre or your doctor.
Alexander is a cat lover. I like her for that. She was enraged and did something stupid. She took the law into our own hands and is now in the hands of the law. She is liable to be imprisoned for what she did so she will be without her kittens. She should have just moved out if that was a viable option.
If her allegations about her housemates are true then they indeed did abuse her kittens or kitten or at least one person did. There may be an argument that the police should investigate animal abuse as well. They won’t though.
Alexander is clearly passionate about cats and perhaps animal welfare. That’s a good thing. She perhaps should direct that passion into something good.
The story probably highlights the complications of living in a house of multiple occupation if you want to keep a cat or cats. The animals have to share the home with other people who you might not know that well or get on with. There’s a reasonable chance that they won’t like cats. There is also a reasonable chance that they are less than scrupulous when it comes to animal welfare. This may lead to abuse of the cats.
It could be argued that a person living in a home of multiple occupation is almost precluded from adopting a cat or kittens. At best they are not going to be great places for a cat because there’s too much disruption. Cats like calm, rhythm and routine. You are unlikely to achieve that sort of environment in this kind of place.
I wish her well and hope that the judge is lenient on her and understands that she was provoked beyond her abilities to resist doing something stupid.
Reported online on MSN from the Daily Mail online.
