Two Arkansas men are facing charges of animal cruelty after going duck hunting and shooting cats, too. Raymond Verhoeven and Bradley Taylor posed for photos with the cats, which they posted on social media after a day of hunting. Two of those cats were still bleeding from the fresh gunshot wounds. According to WMC Action News 5, people who saw the pictures online got upset, and sent them on to the St. Francis County Sheriffs Department. Sheriff Bobby May saw the photos and issued warrants for Verhoevens and Taylors arrests. May told WMC, The photos are really, really sad. The cats, theyre holding the cats like theyre trophies. A person asked and said why would these individuals want to take pictures of them and hold them like theyre trophies. You know, to them, theyre being brave and showing off bravado but really, theyre just yellow cowards because only a coward would do that. Arkansas anti-cruelty law says that someone who is guilty of animal cruelty knowingly abandons any animal, subjects it to cruel mistreatment or cruel neglect, or kills or injures an animal without the owners consent. Offenders might face a fine of up to $1,000, jail time, paying for the cost of the animal, and they must attend counseling. Alley Cat Allies says that intentionally killing a cat is illegal in all 50 states, and also that establishing ownership of the dead animals isnt necessary. In fact, they say, Anti-cruelty laws protect all cats. That protection is not-and as a practical matter, cannot be-based on ownership status. Yet it would seem Arkansas law does depend, at least partly, on ownership. Animal cruelty can lead to, or be a sign of, other types of violence, according to Alley Cat Allies. Sheriff May believes that, too. According to WMCs story, he said: WMC reports that these cats may not have been feral or stray, and deputies believe theyve found the woman who may have owned the cats. Neighbors say that her three cats have been missing, and shes scheduled to go to the sheriffs office and look at the pictures, to identify the cats. WMC says that deputies have also already taken Taylor into custody. Verhoeven will turn himself in on Dec. 19, when he returns from a business trip. They might face up to ten years in prison, but May is working towards at least getting their hunting licenses and firearm permits revoked. The photographer, who is a cooperating witness to the crime, does not face any charges.
Posted on: Sat, 06 Dec 2014 02:15:14 +0000