Cat killers 'must pay'
2005-05-19 12:37
Cape Town - Earlier today, News24 published a story about Tango, pet cat of a campus security chief's family, that died an "extremely painful" death when she was cooked in a microwave oven belonging to University of KwaZulu-Natal students.
We asked you to tell us what you thought about this - and it was felt, by many, in no uncertain terms, that the offenders should be expelled from the university, severely punished - and perhaps even "put in the microwave themselves".
Read more of what News24 users had to say:
I think this is just an escalation in the symptoms of recklessness and utter contempt for rules and even life that most students feel. I finished university recently and was at university for five years and this is just one of those stunts that students would pull if they were drunk, high or bored or maybe all three. I'm not saying I was a complete angel but a harmless animal. They should be expelled and made to pay. If this was America with its very stringent laws on animal abuse and good policies and animal rights they would be in jail for at least five years. Lock them up with angry cats! - Cynthia
How SICK it is to think that these students are South Africa's future! Please send them to some deserted island with a few of the BIGGER felines. I sincerely doubt that the R100 fine to each student will bring any results. Up the fine to R2 000 each and indicate that they were involved in the incident on any reference letter the university ever has to issue for them when they start looking for jobs! Make it part of their history. I know I won't want to hire anyone who can be so disgustingly cruel to poor innocent animals. - teebtan
I was extremely disturbed to read this article. I think that all the students in the dorm should be suspended until the culprits are revealed or own up to this sick "joke". These perpetrators should then face the full wrath of the law and be expelled from this campus and all other institutes of learning, and go to jail as well as pay a fine and pay restitution to the owner. In fact, if I were the owner, I would sue the families of the culprits for restitution. - david
How disgusting - that humans have become so depraved that we need to torture those who cannot defend themselves. It is true what they say: the closest species to man is a virus. Let those monsters rot in prison for a few years. - Lilma
Whether these students were playing a prank or not, I think they need psychological help. What they did is sick - they committed murder and it should not go unpunished. It might have given them a kick to microwave a cat but what guarantees are there that they won't move up the scale and commit other heinous murders? - dineo
Of the bat; an eye-for-an-eye. But by putting aside the thought of the cat frantically pawing at the glass to get out while cooking from inside and then trying to think rationally, an appropriate punishment would be their expulsion from the residence and institute as a whole, a few months community service at the SPCA as well as the maximum fine of R20 000 or two years each! Sounds fair, I also think that such gross disrespect for an animal's life means these people are probably capable of hurting fellow humans - some psychological help - definitely! - Richard
I was horrified to read this article on News24. I feel that offenders should be punished in no uncertain terms. The cruel and inhumane act can only be described as barbaric! And to think these are the future "educated" people of our country. Their right to study and obtain degrees should be taken away from them immediately. They should repent for their crime by spending some time in prison so that they can think about how slow and painful Tango's death was. I'm totally disgusted. - I Ferreira
The guilty person/s should not be offered the option of paying a fine. Neither should they receive a jail sentence of two years. They should be removed from society permanently. Never should they be allowed to study at ANY university in this country. Ghandi said: "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated." - charmaine
These people need serious help! I think, as punishment, they should be put in a microwave oven and be cooked. A R20 000 fine is nothing. Let's try to imagine the feeling of our blood and every other liquid in our bodies to heat up, never mind BOIL! Let's try to imagine our body tissue ripping apart and our organs exploding. What is R20k compared to this? This cat was a living, breathing animal. A Product of God. One of His creations that did not deserve such cruelty. - qabrahams
I think they should be charged with cruelty to animals and given the maximum sentence under law. Unfortunately, this is not very much at all - two years - for inflicting a cruel death on an animal. - sam
I'm so shocked about what these people did to that poor animal that I don't really know what to say! I think an appropriate punishment would be to put them in a microwave. - rianda
These type of people don't deserve to live in our society. They have not sense of values or respect and should be brought to book. They should be sentenced to community service at the SPCA for 1 year. If they default or continue to have no respect for life, sentence to a jail term. - chirsf
...more letters
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