Winnipeg animal advocates want stiffer penalties for animal cruelty
Calls for greater protections for animal rights continue to grow in Manitoba against the backdrop of a high-profile animal cruelty case that remains before the courts.
A rally was held Monday outside the constituency office of Premier Wab Kinew, with animal advocates demanding stiffer punishments for animal cruelty.
The community is still shaken by allegations that Chad Kabecz, 40, and Irene Lima, 55, recorded videos of themselves torturing and killing cats and other small animals they had purchased online.
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Kabecz is also accused of establishing an exclusive black-market network where prospective members from all over the world submitted videos of themselves killing an animal to gain entry to the group.
The Winnipeg Police Service (WPS) says 75 animals were filmed or photographed being tortured and killed between May 20 and Oct. 7. In some instances, police add there was also a sexual component to the offence.
Kabecz and Lima were arrested Oct. 9 and charged with multiple counts of animal cruelty, in addition to charges of bestiality, child pornography offences and for planning to torture a child.
“Before this case I don’t think society really realized how animal abuse, and now this happened, and people are seeing it,” said animal advocate Kristy Zamonsky.
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“We just want people to understand the level of animal abuse that goes on every single day.”
Zamonsky, one of dozens to attend Monday’s rally, is proposing the need for an animal abuse registry. She hopes such a registry would cause people to think twice when taking a life, regardless if it walks on two legs or four.
“We want people to realize that it’s huge, it’s not going to stop unless people make it stop,” she said. “Unless we demand change, we demand laws to be stiffer, if people understand if you abuse an animal or neglect an animal you’re facing jail time, things will change.”
While there is no set date for Lima’s next appearance in court, Kabecz is scheduled to appear before the court on Dec. 30.
