Investigate Shooting of Deaf, 19-Year-Old Family Cat

From Kinship Circle

Tell the Raymore, Missouri police to investigate one of their officers shooting and killing Tobey, a deaf, 19-year-old cat.

CONTACT

Humane Society of Missouri
1201 Macklind Ave. / St. Louis, MO 63110
HSOM Rescues And Investigations Department: 314-647-4400
fax: 314-647-4317
email: info@hsmo.org
http://info@hsmo.org
web contact form: http://hsmo.convio.net/site/Survey?ACTION_REQUIRED=URI_ACTION_USER_REQUESTS&
SURVEY_ID=1403&JServSessionIda012=pqwxgz88w1.app11d

Captain Roger Mayberry, Acting Chief of Police
100 Municipal Circle / Raymore, Missouri 64083
ph: 816-331-0530; fax: 816-331-0564
email: rmayberry@raymore.com

Eric Berlin, Raymore City Manager
100 Municipal Circle / Raymore, MO  64083
ph: 816-892-3002; fax: 816-892-3056
email: eberlin@raymore.com

Jim Feuerborn, Assistant City Manager   
ph: 816-892-3026; fax: 816-892-3056
email: jfeuerborn@raymore.com

Juan I. Alonzo, Mayor
109 N. Darrowby / Raymore, MO 64083
ph: 816-331-4504; email: jalonzo@raymore.com

Raymore City Council
100 Municipal Circle / Raymore, MO 64083
John Seimears, Ward 1 Council Member: john.seimears@yahoo.com Kevin Kellogg, Ward 1 Council Member: kkellogg@raymore.com Jeff Cox, Ward 2 Council Member: jeffreycox1@comcast.net Mike Medsker, Ward 2 Council Member: mmedsker@hotmail.com Jeffrey Adams, Ward 3 Council Member: councilmanadams@yahoo.com Monique Lewis, Ward 3 Council Member: mlewis250@comcast.net Charlene Hubach, Ward 4 Council Member: chhubach77@comcast.net Peter Kerckhoff, Ward 4 Council Member: pkerckhoff@raymore.com

Teresa Hensley, Cass County Prosecuting  Attorney
Cass County Justice Center
2501 W. Wall Street, 2nd Floor / Harrisonville, MO 64701
ph: 816-380-8250; fax: 816-380-8252
email: thensley@casscounty.com

SAMPLE LETTER/USE FOR TALKING POINTS:

Dear Humane Society Of Missouri, Cass County and Raymore, Missouri Officials:

I am shocked by the Labor Day 2009 shooting death of the Wesner family's 19-year-old cat Tobey in Raymore, Missouri I understand a Raymore police officer fired two bullets into the elderly cat's head, wrapped the body inside a plastic bag and tossed Tobey into a city dumpster.

As you know, Tobey had slipped out of his house and roamed into a nearby garage where a neighbor forced him out with hose spray. Raymore police were summoned to apprehend a "large, vicious, feral cat." Though Kelly Wesner describes her six-pound cat as declawed, deaf, and on prescription meds -- a supervisor directed an officer to "put [the cat] down" in a remote area. Unbelievably, no one involved with the cat's slaying has been penalized.

I trust that an unbiased internal investigation is underway. If inquiries by
the police department and/or Humane Society of Missouri warrant animal
cruelty charges, these officers should be prosecuted under Missouri Revised Statues, Chapter 578. Punitive action is reasonable, whether Tobey's killing stems from malicious intent or stupidity. At the very least, the unprovoked killing of a family's companion animal denotes police misconduct.

When officers encounter any animal perceived as sick, aggressive, or feral
-- they should know how to neutralize the animal without resorting to lethal
force. I commend Captain Roger Mayberry for arranging such training after Tobey's death. Officers ought to be able to distinguish anxiety, fear and protective behaviors from genuinely hostile or diseased behavior. If they can't, an experienced animal control officer needs to make that decision.

Circumstances in the case do not make sense. If police believe Tobey had
rabies, why did they destroy his head and discard his remains? Certainly
they know that the brain of any potentially rabid animal is preserved for
analysis. Moreover, this was not their decision to make. Strays, even those
deemed dangerous, are taken to shelters rather than gunned down in fields.

Armed law officers displayed an utter lack of judgment. Their response was inappropriate and demands your utmost attention. Please inform me of any progress in this disturbing case.

Thank you...

Thank you for everything you do for animals!