Betty Sue loses leg after being kicked (From Romsey Advertiser)
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Betty Sue loses leg after being kicked
12:04pm Friday 27th April 2012 in Basingstoke By Emily Roberts, Chief Reporter
Cat owner Gill Curtis, 50, with Betty Sue
A CAT had its leg amputated after being kicked by a cruel attacker.
Gillian Brindley’s young cat, Betty Sue, may still have nine lives, but the furry feline now has to learn how to live on three legs.
Mrs Brindley, 50, thought her 17-month-old pet had been hit by a car after returning home with a severe limp.
But she was shocked when vets told her the fracture was not caused by a car, and was probably the result of someone purposely injuring the animal.
Mrs Brindley, a mother-of-six, from Westray Close, Oakridge, Basingstoke, said: “The fracture was so bad that they had no choice but to amputate. I want people to know that there are people out there doing this and it’s not right. Why would someone kick a cat?
“The vet said the injury was caused by someone booting him. We asked if he could have been run over, but they said no, because there would be particular marks on his paws.”
The vet’s bill cost Mrs Brindley £540.
Mrs Brindley said Betty Sue, who was named before his gender was established, is recovering at home following the operation.
She added: “I’m annoyed because I don’t care how angry people are, you don’t do that to a cat or any animal.
“Betty Sue is curled up now and seems happy, but he only has three legs.”
Comments(25)
Keep_Calm_And_Comment
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6:43pm Fri 27 Apr 12
The _right_stuff
says...
8:07pm Fri 27 Apr 12
I am an animal lover too. Not just cats and dogs though but other animals, and especially small native mammals.
Our youth seems to be brought up in a very different culture.
You read on occasion that animals have been microwaved or beaten or starved and other atrocities and I wonder why ? How did we as the human race get to that point.
I've recently been given information about 'meat dogs' and not just those that are eaten in other cultures, but the meat dogs which are used in dog fighting to train other dogs to fight. I absolutely abhor this kind of thing.
The _right_stuff
says...
8:08pm Fri 27 Apr 12
Best_Name_Ever
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11:10am Sat 28 Apr 12
Best_Name_Ever
says...
6:56pm Sat 28 Apr 12
The _right_stuff
says...
8:02pm Sat 28 Apr 12
The _right_stuff
says...
8:08pm Sat 28 Apr 12
And they still don't :)
I think everyone on these threads realise by now why they do it.
so, BNE...what was the point of KCACMV writing that statement ?
Best_Name_Ever
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2:38pm Sun 29 Apr 12
The _right_stuff
says...
3:03pm Sun 29 Apr 12
And yes sometimes they do make good points, but tainted by nastiness.
robertspet8
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11:41am Mon 30 Apr 12
Best_Name_Ever wrote:A very fair comment BNE.
Robertspet8 - Whilst I don't necessarily agree with some points in your post and I am not sure how sensitive it is under this particular story, I would be interested in your solutions to controlling cats. Whilst you raise valid points, are you concluding that cats should be treated like dogs? I must admit, whilst I understand the impact of cats on local wildlife, this is much the same as certain British birds of prey. I have also never heard of a dangerous and unrestrained cat attacking members of the public. Whilst it is true that cats do defecate in public areas, they tend to bury this - when did you last stand in can faeces? Or more to the point, when did you last stand in dog faeces?
Yes, I am suggesting that cats be treated almost like dogs to stop them killing wildlife and defecating where they like.
Estimates vary, however Mammal Society research shows that the UK's cats catch up to 275 million prey items a year, of which 55 million are birds. This is the number of prey items that were known to have been caught; we don't know how many more the cats caught, but didn't bring home, or how many escaped but subsequently died. These numbers are enormous and far exceed anything taken by birds of prey. But to be fair, many of the cat's prey would certainly have died anyway because they were already weak, injured or ill.
My argument is that cats are unnatural, man made creatures and should be kept as isolated as possible from the natural world. Birds of prey are natural and take prey to eat - domestic cats hardly ever eat their prey.
Cats do hide their faeces in long grass and flower borders whereas most dog droppings are visible on a pavement or verge (irresponsible owners). I have inadvertently trodden in cat faeces or mowed over it far too many times each year but I cannot remember the last time I trod in or mowed over dog poo.
In my opinion natural creatures can roam free but farm animals and pets should be under control at all times. Why should cats be the one exception to this rule?
Mr Overtonia
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4:39pm Mon 30 Apr 12
Mr_Right
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12:09pm Tue 1 May 12
Mr Overtonia wrote:Ah yes, of course - despite what we're taught throughout our childhoods, two wrongs DO make a right in some people's heads.
The punishment should fit the crime and the law should allow that the maggot who did this should have both legs smashed with a sledge hammer and then be denied any medical treatment.
Buster Preciation
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3:17pm Tue 1 May 12
Mr Overtonia wrote:Surely if you want to make the punishment fit the crime then the maggot would have half of one leg broken by a kick and then allowed treatment from a medical practitioner. Not both legs crushed with a sledge hammer and denied treatment?
The punishment should fit the crime and the law should allow that the maggot who did this should have both legs smashed with a sledge hammer and then be denied any medical treatment.
Bill1933
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5:31pm Tue 1 May 12
Mr Overtonia wrote:This is nearer to an 'eye for an eye' request, not fitting the punishment to the crime.
The punishment should fit the crime and the law should allow that the maggot who did this should have both legs smashed with a sledge hammer and then be denied any medical treatment.
robertspet8
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11:12am Wed 2 May 12
Bill1933
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12:53pm Wed 2 May 12
Best_Name_Ever
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12:55pm Wed 2 May 12
robertspet8
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3:54pm Wed 2 May 12
Best_Name_Ever wrote:What...!? Are you saying dog owners in your area hide the faeces in the long grass and flower borders? :-)
robertspet8, thanks for the facts and figures. Obviously your area has far more considerate dog owners than mine!
I was not suggesting that dog owners were considerate in my area, only that the dog faeces is normally very visible and not my garden. Whereas sometimes the first indication of the presence of cat poo is getting it on my hands when weeding the garden or spreading it everywhere when mowing the long grass.
There is a problem with dog fouling but there are laws to deter this (too seldom used in my opinion) but there is not even an attempt to control cats.
robertspet8
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12:17pm Thu 3 May 12
Bill1933 wrote:Don't be too hasty - I haven't told you everything I did yet! :-)
...then I forgive you!
Bill1933
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7:33am Fri 4 May 12
Bill1933
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7:33am Fri 4 May 12
nikinakinoo
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10:53am Fri 4 May 12
This story is about the mindless violence of certain individuals in society today. (I was going to say 'youth' of today but I think it unfair to always blame younger people when I know there are a lot of 'adults' who have no respect for life, of any kind.) Whilst we all have our opinions on cats vs. dogs, cats natural hunting instincts, etc., etc., what this story demonstrates is that there are some extremely malicious individuals out there that think nothing of inflicting unspeakable pain on another living creature. This displays the mentality of a 'low life' cretin who does not belong in a civilised society. Over the years various studies have proved that individuals with violent tendencies usually progress from inflicting these on defenceless animals to committing violent atrocities on human beings later in life. Would your comments all be so flippant if this violence had been directed at a child or another human being? Would you be having debates on whether kids should be allowed out if not under parental control or whether it was okay for a person to be attacked if one of their kind had ever hunted their own food? I think not!
Keep_Calm_And_Comment
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11:53am Fri 4 May 12
The fact we have some vile scumbag that thinks kicking cats is OK does not matter to the afore mentioned town idiots as they prattle on - they lost the plot a long, long time ago.
robertspet8
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5:00pm Fri 4 May 12
However, I subsequently strayed even further off the track than I intended and I got dragged into some merry banter. I do not apologise for this becuase life is too short too begrudge myself some fun. It was not gained at anyone elses expense.
You are absolutely right about violence to animals progressing to violence to humans and I have written about this in other comments a long time ago. But what can be done about it? Punishment does not work and you have to catch the culprit first. Wringing our hands will not work either. The only solution I can see is for parents to bring up their children in the right way and to respect for all life.
Which might bring me to your last point about kids being allowed out or a person being attacked if one of their kind had hunted their own food, which I do not fully understand. Cats cannot help doing harm so they need to be controlled by humans. Some kids cannot help doing wrong so they need to be controlled by a responsible adult - this does not mean full time supervison but sensible accountability of where they are, what they are doing and what time they will be home.
robertspet8 says...
3:06pm Fri 27 Apr 12
Too many people in the UK have an unhealthy attitude towards pets – often unhealthier for the pets and innocent bystanders than the owners. We have dogs which are overfed and under-exercised; hunting dogs spending all day indoors while their owners are at work; attack dogs living with young children; dogs left to bake in cars on hot days; pedigree dogs so inbred that they suffer painful congenital disorders and, mercifully, have their suffering ended by premature deaths; birds confined to cages where they cannot spread their wings; pets deprived of the company of others of their own species – the list is endless. Shocking in a country of animal lovers!
However our relationship with cats is even more cruel and bizarre. Cats are more intelligent than dogs and can be trained as least as well as dogs. But we cannot be bothered and apart from teaching them to use the litter tray indoors we let them run wild, decimating the local wildlife and defecating wherever they like. Their faeces are a risk to the health and sight of young children in particular and the cats themselves are always at risk of being run over. We keep control of most other pets so why not cats? Because we are too lazy. We have cats because, ‘they look after themselves’ and, ‘they are free spirits and it would be cruel to confine them in anyway.’ Just lame excuses for not controlling what are dangerous animals – dangerous to wildlife, children and themselves.