POLICE are appealing for members of the public to come forward with information on two “barbaric” men who tortured and killed a pet cat.
On Monday evening, around midnight, police were called to Garnett Street, Barrowford, after reports from a neighbour of hearing a “tremendous commotion”.
Resident Jasmine Pickard (19) was awoken by cries and, when she looked out of her bedroom window, saw two men holding a cat by its tail, taunting their two Lurcher type dogs with it.
She said the men, who were wearing hoodies and looked between 18 and 21, let their dogs play a game of “tug of war” with it.
“I was fast asleep when I was woken up and looked out. It was awful, I could see the lads had the cat by its tail. The dogs were jumping up at it at playing tug of war with it.
“After they’d mauled it they then took it off the dogs and threw it down. They walked away laughing and then one of them went back and jumped on the cat’s head and slung it in a bush like a piece of trash.
“One had what looked like a white greyhound which was very stocky and the other had a small whippet. They’d obviously been out rabbiting.”
Jasmine, who wants to be an animal welfare inspector, added: “It was awful. They are scumbags and should not be able to get away with it.
“I sent my boyfriend out to see if it was definitely a cat and he came back crying saying it was. I got in my car to see if I could find them but they had already made their way down the ginnel. I was driving around for half an hour trying to find them.
“That was someone’s pet. I have been asking around if anyone knows who these scum are - there are so many animal lovers out there and they would want to see something done.”
Sgt. Shaun Pearson of Nelson Police said: “This was a pet which was part of a family, horrifically killed after a period of torture. The amount of torture caused was enough to wake up residents up and shows just how much pain it has gone through. It was a barbaric act.
“We take this very seriously and we are appealing for any information or to anyone who might have had private CCTV operating that night.”
The men are described as white and in their late teen/early 20s. They were wearing caps and tracksuits and had Lurcher type dogs.
If anyone has any information please contact police on 101 or the independent and anonymous charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
l Last year Jason Metcalfe from Earby was jailed for 16 weeks after pleading guilty to killing a cat in September, 2010.