FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, March 31, 2003

Court hearing for Matt Kaczorowski

the third man in the Kensington cat cruelty case

April 1, 2003
2 p.m.
Old City Hall, Room 111

Toronto – Matt Kaczorowski, the third man charged in the horrific Kensington cat cruelty case, will be back in court via video on April 1st. Freedom for Animals and the Kensington Market Stray Cat Rescue will continue to hold a memorial for the cat we named ‘Kensington’ outside the courthouse.

Community help needed to find Kensington's family

A poster campaign to find Kensington’s family has been circulating since May 2001 and a new poster is attached, urging Kensington’s family to come forward now so that stronger charges against Matt Kaczorowski can be laid. Originally charged with mischief (he cannot be charged with cruelty to animals as more than 6 months have passed since the crime), he is now facing additional charges of theft of property under $5000 and possession of property obtained by crime (animals are considered property under current Canadian law). It is not clear if these charges will stick, as the cat's "owner" has not been identified.

In June 2001, Freedom for Animals and the Kensington Market Stray Cat Rescue set up the Kensington Cat Cruelty Case Hotline, a grassroots effort to gather and share information about this case. We are urging anyone with information about Kensington to call the hotline and Toronto police.

Please be advised that on May 28, 2003, the Court of Appeal will review the lenient sentence Jesse Power, the art student, received in this infamous cruelty case. On April 18, 2002 Judge Edward Ormston sentenced Mr. Power to a 90 day jail term to be served on weekends.