Protest outside Winnipeg police HQ raises concerns on animal cruelty

In the shadow of what some are calling a disturbing trend in the city, dozens gathered outside of Winnipeg Police Service headquarters Wednesday to protest the release of a man believed responsible for the death of six cats found under a bridge on the outskirts of the city.

“How messed up is it that we are in a place that we have to differentiate all the different cat killers that are happening,” said Krista Blahut, an advocate for animals who lives in Point Douglas.

“They were tortured and they were killed, and it’s absolutely reprehensible,” said Winnipeg Police Service spokesperson Cst. Dani Dani McKinnon at a news conference on Tuesday.

There, police announced the arrest of a 24-year-old man, accused of torturing and killing cats he had lured or purchased online, before discarding their bodies underneath a Summit Road bridge. 

The deaths are the most recent acts of animal cruelty in the city in recent months, following the discovery of dead cats in the Point Douglas neighbourhood and the arrest of a Winnipeg couple alleged to have killed and tortured as many as 75 animals.

A bridge on the outskirts of the city on Summit Road was where the carcasses of six cats were discovered.

For those in attendance Wednesday, while grateful for the efforts of investigators, knowing the suspect was released from custody has left them on edge. 

“When someone’s charged with a crime, or the suspicion of committing a crime, that person should be known to the public for obvious safety reasons,” said Chris Williams, a local animal lover. 

Others feel the man’s release at all is problematic. 

“Just shows the fracture of the system,” said demonstrator Kristy Zamonsky. “That you can torture and kill six cats and within 12 hours you are released back into the public.”

A demonstrator holds a sign calling for the name of the man charged with the killing of six cats to be made public after he’s said to have been released following his arrest.

Kaitlyn Mitchell, director of legal advocacy for Animal Justice says often in the aftermath of such offences, pushing for maximum jail sentences is always top of mind, but she says in this case, steps need to be taken to ensure such acts are not repeated. 

“It’s absolutely terrifying and it’s also so sad to know this is happening,” she said. “That includes things like prohibition orders to make sure that people who have been violent to animals can not own animals or live with animals in the future.”

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