16 cats found dead from tented fumigation
Ocean Reef, FL (US)Incident Date: Tuesday, Aug 8, 2006
County: Monroe
Disposition: Not Charged
Case Images: 6 files available
Person of Interest: Raul Ruiz
The Monroe County State Attorney's office said a pest control company is under fire after dozens of dead cats were found at a popular South Florida fishing village.
Officials said they are looking for Raul Ruiz after he was contracted to fumigate businesses at the fishing village at Ocean Reef.
Ruiz worked for a Miami-Dade company called Termite and Fumigation.
The sheriff's office said it found about 16 dead cats. The cats lived underneath the businesses.
"The company was in close contact with Ocean Reef Cat Advocacy Group and with the company's management," attorney Howard Hockman said. "The pesticide company made every effort to prevent this and or-cat tried to make every effort to remove the cats but then they left."
Laura Applin, vice president of an organization called Orcat, told local deputies that she knew of the incident.
Applin said it took place on Aug. 8, when the businesses were scheduled to be tented and fumigated. She said the company's supervisor was contacted and informed that 16 cats lived underneath the building.
Applin told officials she spoke with several witnesses who described seeing the cats attempting to escape from the tents, pawing at the tent walls, "screaming and meowing to get out as they were being gassed."
Some of the witnesses pleaded with the supervisor to lift a portion of the tent to allow the cats to escape, but Ruiz refused, Applin said.
Monroe police said they are investigating the incident and are continuing to interview witnesses who might have more information about the case. References« FL State Animal Cruelty Map
« More cases in Monroe County, FL
|
