We advocate on all animal protection and exploitation issues, including experimentation, factory farming, rodeos, breeders and traveling animal acts.
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 25, 2014
CONTACT:
Kiley Blackman
[email protected]
www.adow.org
Advocates to be present at Court Hearing of 'Yonkers 25' Cat Case Questions.
Concerns surround Arrest Details of Man who Hung Dead Cats in
Trees
Westchester County, NY On Tuesday, November 25 at 9:30 a.m. animal
advocates will be present at Yonkers Criminal Court, 100 S. Broadway to
monitor the case of Rene Carcamo, who has been charged with animal cruelty
for neglecting sick animals and improper disposal of bodies, after the April
discovery of 25 dead cats hung in bags from trees. Members of Animal
Defenders of Westchester (ADOW), the Cat Protection Council of Westchester
(CPC), Forgotten Felines and several other rescue and advocacy organizations
will be represented.
Carcamo is not being charged with killing the original 25 animals that were
found in a vacant lot. At the time this incident was first reported,
it appeared to be one of the worst cases of animal cruelty in NYS history
and was reported all over the world. Now, along with reports of the
number of actually-murdered cats in question, versus a disturbed individual
attempting to 'help,' the appearance of this entire incident seems to have
changed - but one thing that hasn't changed is people's concern for the
vulnerable, homeless cats and kittens struggling each day to find a bit of
food and safe shelter.
Kiley Blackman, founder of ADOW and CPC member, said, "The details of this
case have become conflicted and have left many unanswered questions. Did
the cats die because he couldn't properly care for them, did he neglect them
because he liked to see them suffer, or did he actually kill them. Some of them died from blunt trauma to the head - were those "mercy
killings"
Though we are happy to see that the case was seriously investigated, we have questions about the investigation itself, why it wasn't addressed earlier, since there are indications this situation was well known for a while, among other things.
Bottom line, we will be
there to be a presence for the cat's sake, so that the county and the world
knows we care, seek justice for them and want to educate people about
hoarding situations,the need for affordable veterinary care, the value of
TNR, the plight of homeless animals and how to respond to suspected animal
cruelty. We hope that out of this sad case something good will emerge,
some positive change for the well being of these animals and those who care
for them.'
CPC member Leslie Hirschorn agrees. 'We're all confused, disheartened and
deflated about the results of this arrest,' she states. 'There is much
mixed emotion as we don't have the full story about this person and what was
really going on in his apt and surrounding area. We still don't
know if this guy was just a sad pathetic hoarder who tried his best but it
got out of control and he hurt them when he couldn't cope anymore, or if
they were sick and he was taking them off the streets...or if they were
breeding and he was putting them out on the street. Clearly he needs
psychological help as well as other assistance so does it just end there at
court for now and then starts all over again.
The community has to get involved - there's just so much these volunteers can do on their own unless the community helps to stop the cycle of breeding, neglect and homelessness.'
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