Humane-Education Kits Rushed to Surrey Schools After Teenager Charged With Shooting Eight Cats Appears in Court

For Immediate Release:

8 September 2016

Contact:

Jennifer White +44 (0) 20 78376327, ext 222; [email protected]

HUMANE-EDUCATION KITS RUSHED TO SURREY SCHOOLS AFTER TEENAGER CHARGED WITH SHOOTING EIGHT CATS APPEARS IN COURT

PETA Warns That Animal Abusers Are Likely to Escalate Behaviour Unless Stopped

Farncombe, Surrey – After hearing that a local teenager appeared in Guildford Crown Court  this week after he was charged with killing or seriously wounding eight cats across Surrey, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is rushing emergency humane-education materials to primary schools in the area to help prevent future instances of cruelty to animals. The 19-year old reportedly went on a shooting spree between 15 March and 1 April of this year and faces charges after one wounded cat had to be euthanised and the others sustained critical injuries, including lost eyes and an amputated leg.

PETA’s educational materials are designed to help children of all ages recognise the importance of compassion and empathy for all living beings. The charity’s letters to schools also point out that experts in mental health and law enforcement consider the callous disregard for life and desensitisation to suffering evidenced by all forms of cruelty to animals to be red flags for other kinds of violence. The US Federal Bureau of Investigation uses reports of crimes against animals to analyse the threat potential of suspected and known criminals. Experts agree that it is the severity of the behaviour – not the species of the victim – that matters.

“PETA wants to prevent any further acts of cruelty”, says PETA Director Elisa Allen. “Instilling empathy in children and teaching them to respect others, human and non-human alike, is vital. The safety of the whole community depends on it.”

PETA’s letters to the schools are available upon request. For more information about the link between cruelty to animals and violence towards humans – or to order a free education pack – please visit PETA.org.uk.

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