Police reported for killing and freezing cat
A Swedish couple have complained to a police watchdog after their pet cat was hit with a baton and put in a freezer by officers, after being injured in a car accident.
The couple rang police in Jönköping, south of Stockholm, after the animal, who had been missing for several days, was found hit by a car.
According to reports in regional newspaper jp.se, the pair asked to escort the cat to a vet, but the police officers who arrived on the scene said that they would take care of the pet instead.
A police document seen by the paper states that one of the officers repeatedly struck the animal with a baton, put it into a bag and then placed it in the couple's freezer. The report explains that the staff member understood that the cat had damaged both of its legs as well as its spine and therefore wanted to act quickly to minimize the pet's pain.
However the couple believe that the animal was still alive when it was put into the freezer, because it appeared to have changed position when they looked at it later.
The owners demanded an autopsy, with the results suggesting that the cause of death for the animal was trauma.
They have now taken their case to Sweden's parliamentary ombudsman, a body which looks into cases in which residents believe they have been unfairly treated by a public authority.
The couple argue that the cat would have survived if it had been treated by a trained vet. They have also requested information on whether the officers were qualified to determine the cat's condition and complained that no ID checks were carried out on the animal, despite the fact that it was tagged with an ear tattoo.
The ombudsman will consider the case and can make criticisms or recommendations, but it does not have the same legally binding powers as a court.
Comments
See Also
The couple rang police in Jönköping, south of Stockholm, after the animal, who had been missing for several days, was found hit by a car.
According to reports in regional newspaper jp.se, the pair asked to escort the cat to a vet, but the police officers who arrived on the scene said that they would take care of the pet instead.
A police document seen by the paper states that one of the officers repeatedly struck the animal with a baton, put it into a bag and then placed it in the couple's freezer. The report explains that the staff member understood that the cat had damaged both of its legs as well as its spine and therefore wanted to act quickly to minimize the pet's pain.
However the couple believe that the animal was still alive when it was put into the freezer, because it appeared to have changed position when they looked at it later.
The owners demanded an autopsy, with the results suggesting that the cause of death for the animal was trauma.
They have now taken their case to Sweden's parliamentary ombudsman, a body which looks into cases in which residents believe they have been unfairly treated by a public authority.
The couple argue that the cat would have survived if it had been treated by a trained vet. They have also requested information on whether the officers were qualified to determine the cat's condition and complained that no ID checks were carried out on the animal, despite the fact that it was tagged with an ear tattoo.
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.