I say they feed HIM to the gator.

The Mad Monk · May 17, 2003, 23:30

Quote:

Teen who fed cat for gator could face five years in prison

By CHARLES RUNNELLS, crunnells@news-press.com

A teenage boy who fed a neighbor’s pet cat to an alligator Thursday told investigators he just wanted to see what the gator would do, Cape Coral police reported.

Andrew J. Castor, 14, of 1432 S.E. 24th Ave. was arrested on charges of felony cruelty to animals, feeding a gator and the theft of the cat.

The state attorney's office hadn't decided what charges to pursue Friday or whether Castor would be tried as an adult, said spokeswoman Chere Avery.

According to police, Castor stole the 12-year-old cat from a chair in the neighbor’s front yard Thursday afternoon, slipped it into his bookbag and took it to a canal on the 1000 block of Southeast 23rd Ave.

He admitted kicking the cat in the stomach and head, and then throwing it into the canal to feed a gator, police said.

Castor’s father said his son deeply regretted his actions.

“The boy’s never been in trouble in his life,” said Patrick Castor, 38. “And yes, he does feel bad about it. He’s been crying over it ever since last night.”

The cat’s owners said Andrew Castor led them to the canal, where they saw the dead cat still in the gator’s mouth.

“It had him by the tail,” said Cari Taich, 16, of 1511 S.E. 24th Avenue. “I started crying. I couldn’t breathe.”

Castor initially told police another boy threw the cat to the alligator, but later admitted he acted alone, police reported. Castor was also charged with giving a false statement to police.

Taich got the black-and-white cat, named Homeboy, when she was 5 years old, and she used to sleep with him every night.

Taich’s mother, Aurea Maldonado, said she still couldn’t believe the cat was dead.

“Twelve years he’s been with me,” said Maldonado, 48. “He was like family. He was like my son.”

The cruelty to animals charge is a third-degree felony, since it involves a cruel death or an excessive infliction of unnecessary pain or suffering.

If tried as an adult, Castor could get a maximum sentence of five years in jail and/or a $10,000 fine.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission had no immediate plans to remove the gator, according to spokesman Gary Morse.

Castor was taken to Lee County’s juvenile detention center. His status there wasn’t available Thursday afternoon, since he’s a juvenile and protected by state privacy laws.

Police spokesman Angelo Bitsis said he wasn’t aware of a similar case in Cape Coral in at least the last eight years.

Castor had never been arrested before for a felony in Cape Coral, Bitsis said. Misdemeanor arrest records are confidential because of Castor’s age.

http://www.news-press.com/news/local...catupdate.html

DinoDoc · May 17, 2003, 23:33

If it had been any of my pets, they would have had to pry me from his corpse.

GePap · May 17, 2003, 23:36

The gator should be left alone, the only villain here is that sickening boy.

monolith94 · May 17, 2003, 23:39

No way will any jury try a fourteen year old kid as an adult! Oh wait, this is in Florida??? I give the kid a 50-50 chance. Now if he had been in Texas, he'd have no chance - they'd have sent him to the big house!

Bosh · May 17, 2003, 23:57

Without even marinading it? Poor gator

Boris Godunov · May 18, 2003, 00:02

He's 14...I can't villify him. What he did makes me sick, but I don't think he should go to prison for it. The fine, and lots of community service, perhaps at an animal shelter, is enough. If it's true that he's never been in trouble for anything before, I give him the benefit of the doubt that he is remorseful and can mend his ways.

DinoDoc · May 18, 2003, 00:04

Quote:

Originally posted by Boris Godunov
The fine, and lots of community service, perhaps at an animal shelter, is enough.

That's like making a pedophile work at a school.

Urban Ranger · May 18, 2003, 00:05

Some people just have their priorities backwards, they care more about a pet cat then homeless people.

Skanky Burns · May 18, 2003, 00:06

What are the odds the bastard will end up as a serial killer?

DinoDoc · May 18, 2003, 00:08

Quote:

Originally posted by Urban Ranger
Some people just have their priorities backwards, they care more about a pet cat then homeless people.

I don't think anyone here would want them fed to a gator either.

Skanky Burns · May 18, 2003, 00:09

Quote:

Originally posted by Boris Godunov
He's 14...I can't villify him. What he did makes me sick, but I don't think he should go to prison for it. The fine, and lots of community service, perhaps at an animal shelter, is enough. If it's true that he's never been in trouble for anything before, I give him the benefit of the doubt that he is remorseful and can mend his ways.

If all he did was throw the cat to the gator, I would agree with you. But there is the little matter that

Quote:

He admitted kicking the cat in the stomach and head

before throwing it. If he has that little respect for life at that age...

Spiffor · May 18, 2003, 00:09

This boy is sick, but prison is absurd for this case, if he is indeed really remorseful. I'm with Boris on this one.

reds4ever · May 18, 2003, 00:38

Quote:

Originally posted by Skanky Burns
What are the odds the bastard will end up as a serial killer?

Considerably shorter than BEFORE he fed the cat to the gator, that for sure!

Lord Merciless · May 18, 2003, 00:44

This boy should not go to prison, he belongs to a mental asylum and needs to wear those armbands reserved for parolees. We have a potential serial killer here. 5 years jail is not going to help anyone.

DanS · May 18, 2003, 01:01

This guy isn't sick. Nor should he go to prison for a long time. Some here have no sense of proportion.

Shi Huangdi · May 18, 2003, 01:07

He just did a cruel and evil act, killed a live being, destroyed the valued property of another, and inflicted great emotional harm on other people. Send him to prison.

Ramo · May 18, 2003, 01:11

What a sick bastard.

A 14-year old feeding a cat to a gator certainly doesn't warrant prison, but it does warrant loads of psychological counseling.

DanS · May 18, 2003, 01:13

“He was like family. He was like my son.”

Now that's sick and demented. Seems like she needs some counseling to me.

Shi Huangdi · May 18, 2003, 01:17

Quote:

Originally posted by DanS
“He was like family. He was like my son.”

Now that's sick and demented.

I can't believe you. People can have attachments to their pets, and for that you call her sick, yet you think beating someone else cat and sending it to its death isn't sick? Are you trolling!?

DinoDoc · May 18, 2003, 01:27

Quote:

Originally posted by Shi Huangdi
Are you trolling!?

That's the only reasonable explination I can come up with.

DanS · May 18, 2003, 01:39

People can have attachments to their pets, and for that you call her sick

It is an unhealthy attachment. People and human bonds shouldn't be confused with cats and master/pet bonds! She's perverted!

yet you think beating someone else cat and sending it to its death isn't sick?

It's a cat. Like there's some slippery slope on this issue. First it's cats, then it's human beings!

Kuciwalker · May 18, 2003, 01:40

I think it's rather funny.

The Emperor Fabulous · May 18, 2003, 01:53

Quote:

Originally posted by Boris Godunov
He's 14...I can't villify him. What he did makes me sick, but I don't think he should go to prison for it. The fine, and lots of community service, perhaps at an animal shelter, is enough. If it's true that he's never been in trouble for anything before, I give him the benefit of the doubt that he is remorseful and can mend his ways.

My cousin's 14. My sister's only two years removed. They ****ing know better than to feed a cat to an alligator.

Violence against animals is often a precursor to violence against humans.

The Emperor Fabulous · May 18, 2003, 01:55

Quote:

Originally posted by DanS

It is an unhealthy attachment. People and human bonds shouldn't be confused with cats and master/pet bonds! She's perverted!

Of course, just like master/slave bonds. The servent must not be attached to.

I think its unhealthy for you to label that as unhealthy. The only perversion is your lack of humanity.

Shi Huangdi · May 18, 2003, 02:04

"It is an unhealthy attachment. People and human bonds shouldn't be confused with cats and master/pet bonds!"

Nevertheless, it's a human bond that gets formed, and we have to respect that. She bought the cat, its her property, and she has a right to make use of it, including loving it that much.

"It's a cat. Like there's some slippery slope on this issue. First it's cats, then it's human beings! "

It shows the person is ok with infliciting cruelty to living things. It also shows a callous disregard for the feelings of the pet's owners.

Their was a similar case awhile back where a man was sent to prison for throwing a women's dog into traffic. I'll defend prison time here on the same grounds as I did the last time, not base on the destruction of the animal life(though i would reccomend DanS read the cathecism on cruelty to animals), but based on the value of the pet as property to its owners. People do place very strong and great value on their pets, making killing them destruction of valubale property. Moreover, destroying a pet also can lead to severe emotional and mental damage to the pet's owners. Intentionally doing an illegal act that does that deal of mental damage should be severely punishable.

The Mad Monk · May 18, 2003, 02:06

I remember that one, too.

DinoDoc · May 18, 2003, 02:13

Quote:

Originally posted by DanS
It's a cat. Like there's some slippery slope on this issue. First it's cats, then it's human beings!

There is a certain amount of research that suggests that is a possibility.

DanS · May 18, 2003, 02:14

them destruction of valubale property

How much did she buy the cat for? How much could she sell the cat for? I suggest to you that the value of the cat is near zero.

Nevertheless, it's a human bond that gets formed, and we have to respect that.

Why? She's treating a cat like it's her son. That's perverted in a way only someone from the deep South could understand! Faulkner could have a field day.

She bought the cat, its her property, and she has a right to make use of it, including loving it that much.

Sure she has the right. But it's not much of the law's business.

The Mad Monk · May 18, 2003, 02:17

Sorry, Dan. You're usually on my 'respected posters' list, but in this case, you're nucking futs.

DanS · May 18, 2003, 02:20

There is a certain amount of research that suggests that is a possibility.

That statement lacks a certain amount of precision.