Original Article: https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/military-cat-murders/

“It is our understanding that a group of soldiers from the 1st battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division purchased blow dart guns while on a recent training mission to Indonesia and brought them home to Hawaii. We have seen multiple cats with darts currently in them,” said KAT Charities founder Dr. Karen Tyson.

Killing and mutilation of feral cats are being reported in Hawaii by KAT Charities Animal Rescue. According to reports, the cats are being targeted with blow darts since these animals have become a huge problem at the base.

In South Korea, similar incidents have been reported where stray cats were killed with air guns.

Justice for Feral Cats at Schofield Army Barracks Base in Hawaii

According to the Uniform Code of Military Justice Article 134, animal abuse is illegal and anyone convicted could be fined, imprisoned, or dishonorably discharged from the military.

And yet, this code has not deterred certain members of the military from killing and mutilating feral cats at the Schofield Army Barracks base.

One of their latest victims was a cat named Katniss, which was treated at the Aloha Affordable Veterinary Services for a blow dart wound. Katniss was found by KAT Charities volunteers who were conducting a TNR (trap, neuter, release) program in order to control feral cat overpopulation. Aside from Katniss, the volunteers reported that there were more wounded cats in the area.

Also, near Popeyes at the base, there were two cats that were mutilated by slitting their stomachs and letting their intestines and organs spill out.

This kind of animal abuse was very worrisome for Tyson since this was a sign of violence that could be directed toward both humans and animals in the future.

Based on an article on this same topic published by the FBI’s Law Enforcement Bulletin in August 2021, “recent research shows a well-documented link that it is a predictive or co-occurring crime with violence against humans (including intimate partners, children, and elders) and is associated with other types of violent offenses. Increased awareness of this linkage and a collaborative approach to these investigations strengthens the identification and reduction of such crimes.”

According to a U.S. Army spokesperson, the U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii has already initiated an investigation into the reports and they do not tolerate this type of behavior which was not in keeping with their Army values.

Stray Cats are Being Killed with Air Guns at Osan Air Base in South Korea

Since last year, stray cats at the Osan Air Base were being captured to avoid the spread of communicable diseases and for the safety of planes taking off and landing at the base.

These captive cats were being euthanized at a veterinary hospital, but the practice has stopped this year. This was because the drug for euthanasia is expensive and continual euthanization could be traumatizing to the vets.

Hence, stray cats are now being killed with air guns at the base. But this stirred a controversy when KBS aired a video that showed someone who seemed to be military personnel firing an air gun at a cat that was in a cage. The incident was filmed at the Osan Air Base, which is a US Air Force base located in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province.

“The harmful animal handling team shot the (captive) cat. They didn’t care whether the cat was sick, injured, old or nursing,” a man who revealed the truth said in an interview with KBS.

The Beagle Rescue Network, which has gathered photo and video evidence on these cat killings, has also sent these documents to KBS and the government in protest against the military acts.

“Such practice clearly constitutes animal cruelty under law and the domestic animal protection law strictly prohibits ‘acts that lead to death in a cruel way,’” according to the animal rescue group.

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Source: The Animal Rescue Site Blog