FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - New security camera footage captured a suspected animal abuser who, authorities said, incited his dogs to attack and kill a beloved neighborhood cat near Fort Lauderdale.
The Broward Sheriff’s Office is now seeking the public’s help in catching the person responsible.
“This is a very disturbing and upsetting case of apparent animal cruelty,” said Broward Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Casey Codd.
The incident happened Sunday night on Northwest 28th Terrace, in unincorporated Central Broward County.
Security cameras in the area captured a person throwing something at a cat on a car, then letting his dogs off their leash to attack it.
The cat was named Ringo. His body was found the next day with bite marks.
Deputies think the attack was done on purpose.
“Detectives have been in the neighborhood, they’ve been searching for leads, they’ve been talking to individuals, trying to identify and locate the person seen in this video,” said Codd.
Ringo was a stray and was part of a group of cats cared for by this community.
“We’ve taken care of him for two years, we took him to the vet, we neutered them,” said an area resident. “They’re colony cats, but we still, you know, we feed them, we see them every day, they come up to us. They are not our pets, but they’re animals, living beings.”
There is nothing strange about dogs chasing a cat, but if they’re getting encouraged to do so by a person, that is animal cruelty and against the law, BSO officials said.
“It’s different if a loose dog just chases a cat; it does happen,” said the area resident. “But for someone to egg it on, that, to me, that’s criminal.”
If you have any information on this incident, call Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.