SICK: Shelter Workers Mock Kitty Prior to Euthanization
 

This is SICK. This video from 17 years ago just surfaced. A kitty is about to be euthanized and the shelter workers are laughing and saying "Kill the kitty, kill the kitty" and flipping their middle finger at the kitty etcetera.

The main woman in the video has been promoted within this shelter. Apparently, she may now be suspended and/or reassigned to "general services". Why on earth would she not be fired??? This woman makes $92,000 a year at the shelter.

Here is the ARTICLE LINK

Article (I'll paste some email contacts after the article):

Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter “Kill The Kitty” Video Sparks Outrage
By Christopher Twarowski on March 14th, 2011

A disturbing video of Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter employees laughing, making obscene gestures and mocking the execution of a kitten as they ready the tiny animal for death has been making the rounds on YouTube Monday and inciting outrage among animal groups, residents and town officials.

The footage (posted below), shot inside the embattled taxpayer-funded facility in Wantagh and titled “Kill The Kitty,” documents Acting Shelter Director Pat Horan cheering and smiling, sporting a mullet and flipping her middle finger at the camera as two shelter workers cart in a small, defenseless, black-and-white baby cat.

Dogs bark off-camera as REM’s “Orange Crush” blasts in the background.

“Debbie do you want to kill a kitten?” asks an overweight worker, opening a blue cage containing the small feline and feigning a hangman’s noose around his neck.

“You wanna kill another kit?” chimes another, readying a noose attached to the tip of a pole. He then lassos the kitten and tightens the choke around its neck, lifting the creature into the air and pinning it on the ground as it struggles to break free.

“Pass the needle please,” says an off-camera female voice.

The helpless tuxedo kitten twists and flails as another off-camera woman’s voice shouts “Kill the kitty! Kill the kitty!”

“What you are about to witness is footage taken at the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter,” reads another version of the video circulating the Internet Monday.

“At the time Pat Horan was Kennel Supervisor,” it continues. “Ms. Horan has since been promoted to the position of Shelter Director.”

The original post, uploaded Sunday by a user under the alias Thedontkillthekitty, had more than 2,500 views and dozens of inflammatory comments as of midday Monday. The video has also been circulating widely on Facebook and reposted on various animal advocacy sites across the Internet.

“Just give me ONE minute with that facility manager,” writes a furious wendycase1 below the posting. “A question. Why do people still call these places shelters??????? Just curious. They ARE what they ARE.. killing facilities!!!!”

“This is just sick!!” scribbles secrets18.

Attempts to reach Horan were unsuccessful.

Town of Hempstead Communications Director Michael Deery tells the Press the video is at least 17 years old and the town has taken swift action in response to its “deeply disturb[ing]” content.

“[Hempstead Town] Supervisor [Kate Murray] has been advised and was shocked and appalled by the content on the video,” he says. “In response to the video, the Acting Shelter Director Pat Horan is being reassigned pending the outcome of an investigation.

“The employee handling the cat on the pole was not a town employee,” continues Deery. “It’s the former employee of a local animal hospital. The other person on camera handling the cage was a town employee but hasn’t been with the town in somewhere between 14 and 16 years.

“Ms. Horan emphatically denied that it was her voice when you hear that off-camera statement,” he adds, referring to the woman shouting “Kill the kitty! Kill the kitty!” “She emphatically denies that that was her.”

The Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter has come under fire recently for allegations of animal abuse and its highly paid staff. In November, town officials announced a series of policy changes at the facility following an October shakeup that included the transfer of several key employees and the barring of several local volunteer animal rescuers.

Three of those rescuers filed a lawsuit against the town, Supervisor Murray, Horan and others in December, alleging they were banned in retaliation for speaking out about abuse at the shelter.

EMAILS: I found these emails on the shelter site and will be emailing them right now: gfreese@tohmail.org, jmirenda@tohmail.org, sreichert@tohmail.org

OMG this is just awful!!!!!!! :( :mad::thumbdown

I will write as well... once I calm down.

This story is so disturbing. To think these people are working at a shelter, and that people this cruel walk among us. Scary, heartbreaking...I don't know if I want to cry or throw up first.

I was unable to contiune to read the story or to even watch the video...I just bushed out crying! How can ppl be so cruel? As a kitty lover and owner of 2 beautiful Cats, this is just very heartbreaking!!:cry:

I couldnt watch the video I am a kitty lover and soft hearted. This is horrible though and I hope that lady is fired. I hope all the animal right groups unite and make this shelter clean up its act

Thank you for the disturbing post. I have emailed the contacts provided with this message.
Please do not reassign Pat Horan that would be like reassigning a pedophile priest. Pat Horan should be fired and not entitled to any benefits as she betrayed the trust of the animals in her care and of the taxpayers paying her salary. FIRE TH B**C*

I know that people in kill shelters have to become at least a little numb to dog and cat death but its still deplorable to have such a blatant disreguard of a life. Euthanizing animals is one job I couldnt do no matter how much it payed

I am not on facebook but I think this is the shelter's page Hempstead Town AnimalShelter | Facebook

Ann...a truly disturbing picture of what very likely happens to people when they see hundreds and hundreds of unwanted animals every day tossed out like garbage.

Unfortunately, most of these people just stop caring and stop seeing these animals like the beautiful living breathing creatures that they are. They choose to ignore that each of these animals are capable of feeling fear & pain and they loose all touch with compassion.

Like I said "most" but, then there are those who are just evil and I can rest knowing that Karma will deal with all of them eventually...in one way or another.

I do have to agree that it must be a terrible job to do and perhaps they do become inured to the process. But that said it is still sickening and perhaps when they become that unfeeling it is time for a career change.

:mad::mad::mad: What the heck?! How can you laugh about something like this? Why did they choke the kitty to death? What's wrong with these people...they should be FIRED from the shelter and shouldn't be ever allowed to work with animals. I don't even know how they got away for 17 years!!

This is the most stomach turning thing I have ever seen. What is it coming to when the people in the shelters are sadistic. We had someone fired and I'm not sure what else happened to him for letting a cat die inside the walls at one of the shelters here in Dallas. I don't care how long they have done it, they should never get so cold and uncaring to treat those animals like that. I didn't watch the video because I couldn't. I can't even watch Animal Cops on Animal Planet. I tell you how bad something effects me. I seen a little toy poodle hit in the lane next to me and the person just kept going. The baby finally laid its little head down and died and that was 5yrs. ago and I still think about that little dog and never drive down that street that I don't think about that little baby. People are getting more and more cruel hearted.

How cruel how sad. I would be haunted too poor baby.

O/T somewhat but, just had to identify with what you said about not being able to shake that memory. Mine is of a young cyclist struck by a vehicle and he was laying on the side of the road curled up in a fetal position. I can recall it like it happened yesterday and even remember his friend kneeling over him holding his hand. This one was also a hit & run. Each time I travel that road and come up to that spot...I always remember.

Oh My, THIS IS JUST HORRIBLE HORRIBLE TERRIBLE, how can anyone work
in a shelter and be like this!! I am sitting here crying so hard right now, that was just a little kitten, how can she do this!!!! Oh my this is just sooo wrong in so many ways, just think of how many other animals were treated like that, just think what the poor little kitty was feeling... Oh my...

sent a message via facebook!!

I could not watch it.. It brought tears to my eyes after reading the first post. I do not understand the cruelty of people. It is not funny , nor entertaining to take a young, helpless life away. I have had a kittty for many years , she is also a tuxedo . We named her oreo , and she is a little tough cat. She is around 7-8 years old now, and likes to talk > meeeow all the time for attention. little kitten did not stand a chance in that shelter, to pts without any medical issues , just for being born , the kitty loses it's life. Makes my stomach ache, and feel like throwing up. :thumbdown

I know that I should watch it; as these are some realities that we would rather just not be aware of and I don't believe in just ignoring those.

But I couldn't because just reading the article made me sick to my stomach.

I think that's what my email to them will say.

I don't think I can watch the movie. I'll burst out in tears. but seriously! WTF???????????? they are supposed to help the animals at the shelters not mock them before their most fragile state! UGGGH! & to think that the woman made 92 000& a year off the tax payers money? Damn! I'm sorry I think we should re-direct her pay scale to the teachers cuz we make half of that (sometimes even less than half!)

Those folks are simply DEMENTED. :thumbdown

One thing I noticed in the article is this....

"The Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter has come under fire recently for allegations of animal abuse and its highly paid staff. In November, town officials announced a series of policy changes at the facility following an October shakeup that included the transfer of several key employees and the barring of several local volunteer animal rescuers.

Three of those rescuers filed a lawsuit against the town, Supervisor Murray, Horan and others in December, alleging they were banned in retaliation for speaking out about abuse at the shelter."

I'm thinking the rescue groups were a thorn in the side of the shelter and that's why they were barred from the shelter. Keeping a shelter honest and humane is probably one of the side benefits of rescuers working closely with shelters.

The reason I bring this up is that this all happened in New York. I think passage of Oreo's Law would help in this regard by having rescue groups working more closely with shelters. It would not only save animal's lives but would help to make shelter operations more transparent.

For those of you not familiar with Oreo's law, here is a link about it. http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/ani...-new-york.html

Here's a quote from a link about Oreo's law that will illustrate how it is pertinent to the situation in this thread.

"Oreo and Max are not isolated incidents. Nor is Oreo's Law about pit bulls. It is about saving all animals. In fact, NYS shelters routinely turn away rescue groups and then turn around and kill the kittens and cats, puppies, dog, rabbits and other animals those rescue groups are willing to save. A statewide survey of rescue groups found that 72% of rescue groups reported being denied animals, and 71% reported shelters turned around and killed those animals. The statewide survey also found that 43% of rescue groups that have expressed concerns about inhumane conditions which they have witnessed in NYS sheters have been the subject of retaliation, while over half (52%) who have witnessed cruelty and neglect at the shelter did not express concerns because they were afraid they would no longer be allowed to rescue, thus allowing those inhumane conditions to continue. Oreo's Law would stop unnecessary killing and unnecessary neglect rampant in NYS shelters."

Oreo's Law failed to pass last year but has been re-introduced this year and I urge everyone to voice their support of this law.

Woogie Man, as a NYS citizen I want to know what I can do to help. How do I go about supporting this law and getting it passed? I didn't even know it existed until you posted this.

I could even get my college campus involved if I knew more about how to support it.

WOW! I am just seeing this and it is so sick and disturbing, its not even funny.

I have come to understand that not all animals can be saved and that some are going to be put down every year- I don't like it, but I understand the realities. However, I would have hoped that the people working in the shelters were doing their job with care and compassion. I just don't know what to say, that video is sick beyond words :(

Wow! That is sad.. :(

That would be wonderful if you could drum up some support for this law!

When the bill was introduced last year, there was a link that listed the names and addresses of some Assemblymen to contact. That link now says to check back to see how you can help. Last year there was no action taken until June so there is still time to get involved. Here's the link...it may have some useful info soon. Oreo, Yes on Oreo's Law What You Can Do

There is, however, a Facebook page for Oreo's Law. Here's the link... Save Lives - Pass Oreo's Law | Facebook

There seems to be a few rescue groups that 'like' this page. I would suggest contacting them, or any other rescue groups in NYS, to see what you can do. They are all staying abreast of this and are local so would have good info for you. It beats waiting for updated info on the other link.

If you find any current info through these sources, I'd appreciate your posting it on YT.

P.S. The photo is of Oreo, taken minutes before she was euthanized, after being deemed 'aggressive' by the ASPCA.

:(
:cry2: :cry2: :cry8: :cry8: :cry8:

Thank you for the links!

I will make this my new project and read up on the available links and make some initial contacts if I am able. I will also spread around the links (and the law!) on my FB page. I really don't think many people are even aware of the law.

Once I have more info, I'll make a move to my college campus and get my classmates/community involved. In addition, if I get some updated representative contacts or more current info I will be sure to post them on YT!

Thanks so much for informing me of this Woogie Man. I promise I'll try to make this right for all those little furbabies in NYS!

P.S. Poor Oreo :(

That is so sickening! Somehow you have the idea that people working at an animal shelter must love animals. Obviously, that is not always the case. The fact that these people acted that way on a video makes me wonder just how much more depraved they are in private. The only solace I can think of is that these people will have no defense come judgement day!

These ppl are SICK !!! They are there to help, protect and do the most that they can for the animals they are "taking care" of. I can understand that they are a kill shelter and they are used to doing this type of work and after a while you have to numb yourself to get through it but I mean WTF !! they arnt just acting like its no big deal they are mocking and being a**holes to the kitten for no reason other than their own sick amusment. I dont understand nor do I ever want to.. That to me seems like animal Cruelty.. how come she still has a job? can anyone answer that question?

I couldn't watch the video but what I have just read is vile. There really is a special place in hell for people like that.