NEWS AND COMMENT – Note that I am expressing a view on the news: It is highly unusual in my experience to read a story about a firefighter deliberately poisoning cats. We are told that at least six have been poisoned to death. In America, citizens are used to reading about firefighters saving the lives of stray, feral and domestic cats when they get into emergencies. It may be saving cats from a home fire or rescuing cats stuck in a drain or behind walls. We’ve seen firefighters using specially adapted breathing apparatuses to resuscitate cats who’ve been near death because of smoke inhalation. All good stuff. All very positive but here we have an incredibly negative story which besmirches the image of the firefighter in America.
It’s reported, and at the moment this is an allegation despite the criminal charge, that Sean Michael Hanke, a 48-year-old member of the El Paso Fire Department turned himself in after an arrest warrant had been issued. He is facing six felony counts of animal cruelty resulting in death.
He is accused of poisoning the cats in late May of this year. Residents of the East El Paso neighbourhood where he allegedly poisoned cats reported seeing a man placing cat food on plates which they thought was suspicious. Not long after five cats and a dog were found dead due to poisoning.
The neighbours quickly decided that something was wrong. One neighbour, Lucy Velasquez was used to seeing outdoor cats walking past her front door every night. Suddenly they stopped arriving. She saw the cats on her Ring doorbell camera.
The El Paso Police Department’s investigation found that Hanke was the alleged culprit. We don’t know if the cats were stray, feral or domesticated. The story points to the fact that these were owned, domestic cats allowed outside. But that needs to be confirmed. It has a bearing on the outcome because if Mr Hanke is tried and convicted, the owners of the deceased cats can sue him for compensation in the civil courts if they wanted to. They should do, if that is the outcome. We are talking about cat companions, family members. I don’t want to over-egg the situation but a lot of people have very close emotional bonds with their cat companion. If it is suddenly shattered by criminal behaviour then they should be compensated.
Hanke has been on administrative leave during the investigation according to fire officials. The city of El Paso and the fire department stated that they “do not condone this type of behavior and take this allegation seriously.”
If he is convicted, if should spell the end of his career as a firefighter. If the allegation is confirmed we would have to say that he is a cat hater and very callous and careless.
SOME MORE ON FIREFIGHTERS ALL OF WHICH IS GOOD NEWS STUFF:
