Cat stabbed, beaten, set on fire
Syracuse, NY (US)

Incident Date: Wednesday, Jun 13, 2001
County: Onondaga

Disposition: Alleged

Alleged:
» Walter Dowling
» Shaun Dunn

Two men were arrested Monday night after they stabbed a cat in the head, hung it from a tree, beat it with a metal pipe and set it on fire, police said.

A neighbor contacted 911 while watching the incident, which happened in the 2000 block of Lodi Street shortly after 9 p.m., police reports state.

When police arrived moments later, they began to search behind the houses in the 200 block of Isabella Street and found the two men watching a fire in the corner of a back yard, reports state.

Walter Dowling, 23, of 205 Isabella St. and Shaun Dunn, 23, of 401 Carbon St. were charged with torturing and injuring an animal, reckless endangerment and conspiracy, misdemeanors.

Officer Jeremy Merole said that, as he approached, he saw in the flames a small cat with a steak knife shoved through its mouth, reports state.

The witness told police she looked out a window and noticed the cat hanging from a tree and two men beating it, reports state. Police did not know who owned the cat.

Police officers asked the Onondaga County District Attorney's Office to upgrade the animal torture charge against Dowling and Dunn under the state law that makes aggravated cruelty to animals a felony.

The men were held Tuesday night in the Justice Center jail in lieu of bail: $1,500 for Dowling, and $2,500 for Dunn. They are due today in City Court.

According to police, Walter Dowling and Shaun Dunn stabbed the cat and then hung it from a tree and set it on fire in the backyard of a house on Isabella Street.

Officers say Dowling and Dunn smiled as they described killing the cat. Dowling also told the police officers that he finds torture funny and likes to visit web sites that feature pictures of mutilation. Sergeant Joe Sweeny said, They thought it would be interesting to go over and hit the cat, set it on fire, and they also thought it would be interesting to pour flammable liquid on it and watch as the cat burned up.

The cat�s owner, Floyd Hartford, said, �As time goes by it�s starting to sink in. My girl�s going to be really heartbroken.

References

• The Syracuse Newspapers
• 2001 WTVH 5 Eyewitness News

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