For immediate release: April 23, 2002

Community Calls for an Appeal in Cat Mutilitation Case

April 18 Ruling Sends a Cruel and Dangerous Message

Concerned citizens will be demonstrating outside the offices of the Ontario Attorney General today from 2 to 3 p.m. calling for an appeal in the sentences given to Jesse Power and Anthony Wennekers for the torture and murder of the cat named Kensington. The Attorney General's office is located at 720 Bay Street. On April 18, Judge Edward Ormston sentenced Power to a 90 day jail term to be served on weekends and released Wennekers who had already served 10 months in jail. By not giving a maximum sentence of two and a half years to Power and Wennekers, the April 18 judgement is sending out a cruel and dangerous message.

Citizens are outraged at the callous statement made by Judge Ormston that "there are worse ways that this cat could have died." The unspeakable crime of skinning the cat while she was living, gauging at one of her eyes, and many other acts of cruelty were videotaped.

The ruling has sparked outrage across the country.

"The stronger members of society have a moral obligation to protect and act on behalf of weaker, defenceless, and voiceless members - this encompasses children and non-human animals," says Robert Caine, PhD candidate at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto.

The implications of this ruling tell of the disturbing amount of violence that is deemed acceptable in society. We feel it does not accurately represent the majority of citizens' views concerning heinous cruelty against innocent and defenceless animals.

"We want justice for Kensington. Power and Wennekers should have received the maximum sentence," says Susan Krajnc, a member of Freedom for Animals.

The House of Commons will be voting on the passage of Bill C-15B today, which would strengthen the Cruelty to Animals section of the Criminal Code (i.e. increase jail time to a maximum of 5 years).

Demonstrators will attempt to talk with Attorney General David Young to request an appeal in this case.