Defending Animals - Current Cases

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Current Cases

You can get involved by reading about the cases below, which are active and in which you can make a difference. Read the case outline below, go to Case History for more background, then to Action Alert to find out what you can do to help — write a letter, attend a court hearing, etc.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SERIAL CAT TORTURE CASE

August 2008

Dear Pet Lover,

On May 13, 2008 in Rancho Cucamonga, California, Timothy Kooyman lured two neighborhood pet cats with an opened can of cat food. Kooyman grabbed the cats and put them in a plastic storage container. He broke all the legs on both cats. After driving around for awhile, he parked his truck and proceeded to cut the tails off both cats with scissors. He then stabbed one of the cats in the eye and slit the throat of the other. When law enforcement arrived, they found both cats still alive, covered with blood, and gasping for air in the sealed plastic container.

Kooyman admitted to torturing a different cat earlier the same day by breaking her legs, cutting off her tail, dousing her with gasoline, and setting her on fire while she was still alive. The torture and killing resulted in a hillside brush fire.

Read the Full Story

OAKLAND GOAT KILLINGS

December 2007

In the middle of the night at about 12:30am on May 22, 2007, in the hills of the King Estates above Greenley Drive, a sadistic punk shot and killed fifteen baby goats, part of a herd of several hundred, brought to the East Bay to eat grass and to protect the community from fire. Neighbors called the Oakland Police to report a large number of gunshots, but it wasn’t until the next morning that a jogger found the dead goats in a portable corral about 200 feet from Howard Elementary School.

San Francisco Chronicle reporter Henry Lee was first to break the story. Voices For Pets immediately offered a $3,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the sadistic coward who was responsible, and, met with reporters from radio and television. Volunteers posted and handed out reward posters.

Because of the outrage and support from the community, Voices For Pets was able to increase the reward to $6,000. Friends of The Oakland Animal Shelter offered a reward of $500, In Defense of Animals called to say they were adding $2,500, Humane Farming Association added $5,000, East Bay S.P.C.A. offered $5,000, East Bay Regional Park District offered $1,000 and Contra Costa S.P.C.A. added $1,000 for a total of $21,000. Voices For Pets then printed new reward posters and mailed 200 to homes in the neighborhood where the goats were killed.

Read the Full Story

Belle's Story - SAN RAMON CAT POISONING CASE

November 2006

Belle, the resident cat at the 92-acre AT&T complex in San Ramon had lived on this site for 11 years under the nurturing umbrella of the company. In 1995 she bore 4 kittens, which were placed in loving homes. With the help of the Feral Cat Foundation, Belle was spayed, vaccinated and had been cared for by a network of dedicated employees who made sure she received food and water 7 days a week. On March 9, 2006, an AT&T employee, Donna Marie, found rat poison in Belle’s dish along with a plastic rat poison bag. Belle has not been seen since. Over the years previous building managers have been supportive of the employees taking care of Belle. But a new building manager, Carrie Wyatt, was now in charge. In a previous email received by Donna Marie, Ms. Wyatt, stated, “Given the rodent issues, I can not allow you to continue. I need you to refrain from feeding the cats.” When notified of the poison, she denied authorizing anyone to use it.

Donna contacted Voices For Pets. She stated that she had kept samples of the rat poison and the bag that she had placed in a plastic bag to preserve fingerprints. Voices For Pets distributed500 Reward Posters throughout the complex of 8,500 people asking for information. We received many phone calls. Some were calling to offer support, some were Belle’s caregivers, others told of a number of dead baby geese plus 2 dead swans that had been purchased by AT&T for their lake. These swans had the ends of their wings cut off so that they could not fly away.

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LIVERMORE CAT SHOOTING & THE INJUSTICE CASE

November 2006

Dear Pet Lover:

This is the story of an animal cruelty case with a bizarre twist. Randa Burrows witnessed the shooting of a cat, reported the incident to the police, and filed a police report. The cruelty case was never tried, but Randa found herself being sued in Court for libel and false arrest. The story of this injustice follows.

On September 19, 2005 Randa Burrows was walking her dog on the Arroyo Mocho Trail that winds through many residential neighborhoods in Livermore California. Randa said, “I heard a cat screaming in pain. It sounded like the cat was being tortured; I started to run in the direction of the cries, when a cat came running from the backyard of 473 Daiseyfield Drive.” Randa heard a popping and cracking sound and looked up to see another cat dropping branch to branch from a tree, and a man aiming an air gun rifle repeatedly shooting as the cat fell. Randa screamed at the man telling him she was going to call the police. He smirked and said, “Go ahead it’s my yard, I can do whatever I want on my property.” Randa said, “No you can’t, you can’t shoot animals.” While Randa kept the man busy the second cat managed to escape by running past her.

Randa called the Livermore Police Department. When officers Batrez and Custodia arrived Randa gave them a detailed description of the man. The officers then contacted the homeowner who was identified by his California Drivers License as James Cable (see photo at left). According to the police report by Officer Batrez, he asked Cable if he was shooting a rifle in his backyard and he said, “Yes”. I asked him to explain to me what happened. Cable said, “I was shooting cats in my backyard because I don’t like cats, I can do what ever I want on my property.” Officer Batrez then walked over to where Randa Burrows was waiting and said, “Well that’s it, he admitted it, you can have him arrested.” Randa signed the citizen’s arrest form. James Cable was handcuffed, charged with Felony Cruelty to Animals, and taken away for booking and then released on $10,000 bail.

The next day Randa looked for the injured cats and handed out fliers alerting neighbors to check their pets for injuries, and to report missing or injured cats in the area.

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CAMMIE AND HER SERVICE CATS

Contra Costa County, CA
December 2005

On Sunday evening October 15, 2005 VOICES FOR PETS received a phone call from Cammie Bohren. Cammie said her 14 year old cat Gata had not been well lately and over the last 24 hours had become lethargic, and having difficulty breathing.

I said she needs to get her cat to the vet right away.

Cammie said she is a quadriplegic and receives $900.00 a month in Disability and could not take her cat to the vet or pay for it. Cammie came through with clear sincerity, love and concern for her cat Gata.

There are times when a person cannot turn their head and pretend that they just can’t hear. But it was Sunday night and the only open Veterinarian was Contra Costa Veterinary Emergency Center in Concord,
which charges a premium because they have to maintain a full staff 24/7.

I thought of other vet bills and expenses VOICES FOR PETS has to pay. I thought about our dwindling bank account and said I would take Gata to the vet.

At the Contra Costa Veterinary Emergency Center, Dr. Richard Groff examined Gata, did blood test and determined that Gata had an infected tooth below the gum line. Dr. Groff anesthetized her, extracted the tooth, gave her an antibiotic shot and sent her home with oral antibiotics. I had met Dr. Groff before and he knew of VOICES FOR PETS work. We where presented with a bill for $185.00, far less than expected.

Gata’s Mom Cammie spends much of her time, when not in a wheelchair, laying on a mat on her living room floor. When I brought Gata home, still waking up from anesthesia she crawled out of the box, took a few bites of food, a drink of water, flopped down next to Cammie and snuggled in.

Not all of the work I am privileged to do fills me with rage....

Read the Full Story

Read the Legal Letter

Read Cammie's Letter

PLEASANTON CAT TORTURE CASE

December 2005

Dear Pet Lover,

On January 17, 2005, in Pleasanton, California 18-year-old John Van De Roovaart and two 17-year-olds decided to kill a cat. They drove around the neighborhood and found Xeno an 18-year-old family pet. Xeno was older than the children in his family and had always been treated with love and kindness. Xeno had no reason to fear humans and walked right up to the sadistic killers, who scooped him up, put him in their car and took him to Van De Roovaart’s house.

Once there they repeatedly tortured Xeno until he died. These sadistic cowards then took Xeno’s body and hung it, for public display, from an abandoned railroad overpass on Sunol Boulevard.

Passing motorist called Police and two of them offered a $1,000.00 reward. This resulted in tips that led to the killer’s arrest.

Two weeks before Xeno was killed a squirrel was crucified and displayed on the corner of Bernal and Puerto Vallarta, a few doors from Van De Roovaart’s house.

Alex Ferreyra, a psychologist with Alameda County Children’s Services in Oakland discovered the crucified squirrel while driving his daughter home from school.

In an interview with the Valley Herald Newspaper Ferreyra said, “The poor animal was nailed through its little paws and feet, just like Christ as it’s depicted in the Bible. It’s feet were bunched on top of one another and nailed through. It’s arms were spread out like Christ’s”.....

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Read the Notice to People with Children & Pets