Update, 10/19/08: Alley Cat Allies have updated their website; all their Galveston materials can now be found here.

————————-

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Feral Power! - alleycat [at] alleycat.org
Date: Nov 20, 2007 6:03 AM
Subject: Galveston, TX, Cat Cruelty Case Ends in Mistrial - No Retrial

Galveston, TX, Cruelty Case Won’t Be Retried

A mistrial was declared on Friday, November 16, 2007 in the case of the Galveston, TX, man charged with animal cruelty for shooting and killing a feral cat. The jury was deadlocked after more than eight hours of deliberation over two days, with eight of 12 jurors voting to convict. It is important to note that although the defendant was not found guilty, he was also not found innocent.

Alley Cat Allies responded immediately with a public letter to the Galveston County District Attorney urging him to retry the case.

The District Attorney’s office decided against a retrial. While this decision is disappointing, Texas law has recently been clarified to expressly protect feral cats, and to make it unequivocally clear that anyone who intentionally kills any cat—pet, stray, or feral—will have violated Texas anti-cruelty law.

Please visit our Anti-Cruelty Resource Center regularly as we update it with current events and ways you can join the movement to end cruelty to all cats.

Alley Cat Allies · 7920 Norfolk Avenue · Suite 600 · Bethesda, MD 20814-2525 · www.alleycat.org

————————-

Tagged: animals animal rights animal welfare action alerts alley cat allies feral power feral cats cats felines animal abuse animal cruelty cruelty to animals texas Galveston tx news in the news pet companion animal