(WHAT!) Officer cleared after shooting litter of kittens in front of kids

[Playinghardball]

A police department in Ohio on Tuesday defended a humane officer who shot and killed a litter of feral kittens and told nearby children that the animals would be going to “kitty heaven.”

An executive with the Ohio Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals told the Sun News that Humane Officer Barry Accorti had responded to a complaint from a Vista Lake Way homeowner on Monday about a litter of kittens living in her woodpile.

“He informed her that shelters were full and that these cats would be going to kitty heaven,” Ohio SPCA Executive Director Teresa Landon explained to the paper. “She assumed he would be trapping them or something and taking them to a shelter and they would be humanely euthanized if they were not adopted.”

“Instead, he went to his truck and got a gun, which she thought was a tranquilizer gun, and walked around to the back of the house and approximately 15 feet from her back door shot and killed the 8- to 10-week-old kittens.”

Landon said the officer began shooting the animals in front of the homeowner and within in range of her young children.

“Her children were upstairs in view of the windows. They started screaming and crying because they heard the gunshots. They started screaming, ‘Mommy, he’s killing the kittens,’” Landon noted. “It’s heartbreaking… There is no excuse for it. It’s absolutely shameful that someone with the title of humane officer would do this.”

The SPCA called for Accorti to be fired, but North Ridgeville Police Department Chief Mike Freeman released a statement defending his actions.

“The cats were located within the wood pile and euthanized,” Freeman wrote. “The cats were removed from the wood pile and taken from the residence.”

More and see the video at: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/06/12/officer-cleared-after-shooting-litter-of-kittens-in-front-of-kids/

[TDale313]

1. If that's ok per their policy...

Then the policy needs to be fuckin' changed. How can anyone condone this, particularly in front of children. What a disgusting excuse for a human being.

[siligut]

2. Very traumatic for children and most adults

Humane Officer Barry Accorti is an idiot and not at all humane.

[meow2u3]

3. That psychopath in-humane officer is going to go to human hell

Especially because he killed the kittens in front of a small child. What's even worse is that the police defended the indefensible.

What next? Cops killing parents in front of their children for no good reason?

[Doremus]

4. How many shots did he fire in a residential neighborhood to protect

them all from the dangerous feral kittens?

Hell, let's give him a medal of valor.

[Terra Alta]

5. "Humane" Officer?

What a traumatic experience for the children. This officer should have been fired.

[napkinz]

28. we can do something about it ...

Take action here:

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/171/076/186/fire-humane-officer-for-shooting-feral-kittens-in-ohio-backyard/?z00m=20576483

[Scootaloo]

6. Well, to be fair to the officer...

Cats can give quite the dehumanizing stare!

(Yes, this is 100% grade-A snark)

[sakabatou]

7. WTF?!

[Mosby]

8. It's better if we kill the 3 to 4 million companion animals every year

In shelters where no one can see.

Neater that way and no one gets upset, especially little kids.

[dumbcat]

9. As long as he gets to go home after his shift ....

... it's all good.

[napkinz]

10. I can't even find the words

[hunter]

11. A true demon would have eaten the kittens alive.

A gentleman caught between the rock and a hard place would have taken the kittens to the "shelter" knowing they would be put down.

This guy is messed up bad. I wouldn't trust him to deliver my morning paper. I especially wouldn't trust him with a gun.

Nevertheless, godammit, catch those cats and spay 'em.

[TDale313]

12. Agreed, on all points. n/t

[napkinz]

13. Barry Accorti

that name should become a verb, or some term that from here on becomes associated with inhumanity, atrocity, evil

I'm still sick over this story.

[uponit7771]

14. "...he thought was a tranquilizer gun...."

[KamaAina]

21. No, she thought it was a tranquilizer gun.

The woman who called for "help".

[Liberalynn]

15. This breaks my heart.

He should be arrested for animal cruelty

[Logical]

16. Many cops are idiots. And NEVER get actual punishment. Police "Unions" are a joke. n-t

[napkinz]

17. with thanks to Omaha Steve ...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023035833

Fire Humane Officer for Shooting Feral Kittens in Ohio Backyard! (E-action)

I see Ohio Chick posted the news story. Here is the take action link.

Take action here:

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/171/076/186/fire-humane-officer-for-shooting-feral-kittens-in-ohio-backyard/?z00m=20576483

[life long demo]

18. I have no words

[DirkGently]

19. That's insane. That officer is a danger to the public. n/t

[Savannahmann]

20. OK defenders of the faith

Isn't this where you all are supposed to tell us the hard job that cops have? How we have to understand that the police are doing the best job they can? Where is the picture of the cop bringing the milk to Boston?

[EOTE]

24. You find yourself face to face with many snarling, ravenous, vicious 2 month old kittens and we'll

see how tough you are. Sure they look cute and all, but that's how they get ya. My grandpa thought they were cute as well. Now he's dead.

[telclaven]

27. Kittens are hells own spawn

Was visiting a friend's house that had a 4 month old kitten. Early one morning, was up in the kitchen. Kitten decided boxer shorts were a great scratching post. Claws sunk into the dangly bits. Screaming woke up everyone in the house. Do not like kittens at all. Sure, they're fluffy and cute. And vicious, evil beasts of destruction.

[KamaAina]

22. “The cats were located within the wood pile and euthanized,” Freeman wrote.

Hizzoner does not seem to have much of a vocabulary. In no way does shooting the kitties at close range qualify as "euthanizing" them.

[napkinz]

23. kick

nt

[hamsterjill]

25. Alley Cat Allies is on it!

http://www.alleycat.org/page.aspx?pid=376

This organization is one of the largest and most vocal supporting TNR (Trap, Neuter, Return) and they presented a petition to the City Council meeting with over 30,000 signatures.

I sincerely hope that attention will continue to be paid to this situation and that this officer will be fired and that the policies of the city will be changed.

[Blue Diadem]

26. Another one from Ohio? Stryker police shot and threw cats in the river.

I can't imagine what those poor children heard and felt during the shooting of those kittens. Awful, just awful and with the title of Humane officer OMG.

This is the 2nd time cats have been killed by those who should be protecting. Cats were trapped, shot and thrown in a river in Stryker. The police chief was suspended only because one happened to be a woman's pet.

http://www.13abc.com/story/21810409/stryker-police-under-investigation-for-allegedly-killing-cats



http://www.examiner.com/article/ohio-police-chief-suspended-for-two-weeks-for-killing-woman-s-cat?cid=rss