The sheriff who is investigating this alleged crime gives the impression he is not interested in it. Surprised? You want justice? I don’t think you are going to get it.
This is a follow up to the veterinarian bow and arrow killing of a ginger tabby cat in Texas.
If everything that has been written is factually true, I thought it would be unlikely that she would be charged by the police with animal cruelty and prosecuted through the criminal courts. That assessment was based on past experience of the attitude of police to animal crime. And it doesn’t just apply to America. It could almost be anywhere.
From Houston, which is near the scene of the alleged crime, Sheriff Jack Brandes said he couldn’t arrest the veterinarian unless an investigation concluded that the photo of the dead cat is genuine (see below). It certainly looks genuine to me and tens of thousands (perhaps hundreds of thousands) of social and news media surfers. It looks true partly because it just looks genuine and partly because of what the veterinarian, Kristen Lindsey, states in comments about the photo. She is bragging about killing the cat and her comments appear to be genuine. Plus there is dialogue between her and her friends on social media. Could the whole thing be fake? Highly unlikely.
Two deputies have been assigned to the case to investigate whether the photo is genuine! They’ll be checking if it has been Photoshopped – altered in a photo-editor.
A lot of concerned people have called the police from all over America. This has become a national story and I think I know why: it goes to the heart of peoples’ relationship with outdoor cats and it shocking for the fact that a veterinarian is the alleged cat-killing-criminal. And she killed the cat because she believed him to be feral.
Kristen Lindsey does not want to talk to the police at the moment the sheriff said. She’ll come to the police station next week with her lawyer and the sheriff seems to have accepted that. Why can’t be insist she comes in earlier? Or arrest her. The sheriff said:
“…Hopefully this girl comes in. She may. She may not.”
He’s not bothered if she comes in or not. And why is he calling her a ‘girl’. That is condescending and sexist I think. He isn’t interested.
Brandes said the wheels of justice turn slowly. Agreed. They want to be sure before making an arrest. He’s not kicking the whole thing into the long grass is he? He knows that people will forget this. Social media is about the moment. Something else will come along and this story will be history, just another cat killing, nothing to worry about.
Update: Lindsey’s veterinary college decry her actions in a statement:
The Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at Colorado State states:
“At Colorado State, we join the veterinary clinic that earlier employed the individual, the Texas Veterinary Medical Association, and countless others who strongly decry the grotesque actions and comments displayed in that post…..(this is a short extract). She whole letter here.
Source: TheBlaze.com.
Lots of people (myself included) are keeping tabs on this case and the one involving Freddy, the poor cat bludgeoned to death by the police officer.
Sure, these stories will eventually fade away from the news headlines, but I’m sure genuine animal lovers will not forget the names or faces of those involved. I know that almost 5 years on, I’ve not forgotten about Mary Bale from Coventry who put Lola the cat in a wheelie bin. She may only have been fined £250 + victim surcharge and court fees (totalling almost £1,500 but the lasting damage to her reputation, personally and professionally will be with her for life.
For anyone interested, a “thank you” letter is being sent to the co-owner of the vet clinic who fired Ms Lindsey when they learnt of her actions. You can add your name using the link below.
http://animalpetitions.org/80862/applaud-firing-of-vet-who-allegedly-shot-cat-in-head-with-bow-and-arrow/
Thanks Michele. I’ll bet this story will fizzle out and we will never find out if she was successfully prosecuted or not. That is the modern way.