Caretakers find nearly two dozen cats shot

Ethel, La. (November 20, 2012) – In Defense of Animals (IDA), the international animal protection organization that operates Hope Animal Sanctuary in Mississippi, has offered a $3,500 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of whomever shot a group of nearly two dozen cats, injuring 8 and killing 4 and leaving nearly a dozen missing.

“The cold-bloodedness of this horrific crime indicates what a danger this person is to all of us,” said Eric Phelps, Emergency Response Unit Coordinator for IDA. “Someone knows who did this, and he or she will be serving the entire community by stepping forward.” Phelps added that studies have repeatedly shown, and the FBI and other law enforcement agencies agree, that a person who commits cruelty to animals very often moves on to commit acts of violence against people, especially when the cruelty to animals goes unpunished.

The cats were shot sometime between Saturday evening, November 10 and Monday, November 12, when they were discovered by one of their caretakers. The rental home where the cats were being cared for is near the end of Butler Lane off Highway 955 in Ethel, Louisiana.

Lori D’Arensbourg, a volunteer who was helping to care for the group of cats, told WAFB-TV, “I found it really hard to believe that we live in a community with people this vile and this cruel. How could people do this to helpless animals? It makes me tear up every time I think about it.”

IDA urges anyone with information about this brutal attack to contact the East Feliciana Parish Sheriff’s Office at (225) 683-5459. To contribute to the reward fund, please call IDA at (415) 448-0048, ext. 218.

Contact: Eric Phelps, eric@idausa.org, 503-754-0977