Pictures posted on his Instagram profile, kicking the animal to make it fall into the fountain, lifeless body found the next day. Horror ad Alberobelloin the metropolitan area of Bari where a little girl killed a cat by throwing it into the freezing water of an ornamental pool in the historic center, a few steps from the town hall. An act made even more serious by a video published on social networks, filmed by another person and accompanied by the comment: «Hey love, get some fame».
Grey, that’s the cat’s name, was part of a cat colony regularly followed by Catia Bianco, the person who manages the Municipality bar. He drowned in a bathtub, where he was found lifeless by some environmental workers. Catia personally cares for 6 cats, almost all of which have been sterilized by ASL. At first he thought the animal had fallen into the fountain by accident. But then she received a video taken a few nights before: it was heartbreaking to see a minor girl deliberately beating her beloved cat while the animal stood innocently at the edge of the pool.
“The last time I saw Gray was on January 8 – the woman explained – I was looking for him by going to where I thought he might find refuge. Then the horrible photos arrived via chat. He didn’t deserve all this anger, and to the 16-year-old boy who kicked him and caused him to end up in the fountain, I would like to clarify that what he did cannot be classified as a stunt or a prank because he caused suffering. And he can’t get out of it. Gray had had a bad cold for some time. He was very thin like a cat and was always cold. Like a stray, he suffered from low temperatures. Mats and blankets were not enough for him, falling into the icy water would be terrible for him and he would die in a few moments. The more I watch the video, the more absurd it seems to me what happened: the malice is incomprehensible, it makes no sense for her to beat him up and proudly laugh about it with the person who is recording her on a mobile phone».
Catia filed a complaint against the girl: «It is right that she realizes what she has done, that she grows up and that someone makes her understand that respect for every form of life is essential. So far, however, no one has shown up, neither the 16-year-old nor her friends. He should understand the gravity of his act and take responsibility for it. That also means growing up.”
After the episode, many commented on what happened, including Ilania Barnaba, who monitors many critical animal issues in the city: “Grey was a little old and sick,” Kodami explained, “he couldn’t even eat lately and was fed foam because he couldn’t chew granule. He was very cuddly and was often approached by tourists to pet him. Catia had no idea what had happened. Then the kids pulled out the videos. The videos, the photos, and above all the laughter of those who hit Gray and those who immortalized the horrific scene with their cell phones, was a blow to the heart. Even though the girl hasn’t contacted anyone yet, we hope she understands and wants to do some volunteer work to understand what it means to do good.”
Anyone who visits Alberobello knows how harmless the cats really are in this colony. Many have at least once been greeted with a caress. A circumstance that, while not making the gesture any more serious than it already is, is definitely more devastating because of the ease with which a life can be destroyed just for fun.
In the last few hours, a hunt for the person responsible has been launched on social networks, and this curtails the messages sent to the girl’s profile. The attitude for which Catia Bianco asked everyone to take more responsibility: «I am asking you not to give in to hatred – he writes on Facebook – whoever committed the crime will answer personally. We just want these things to never happen again and for those who made this gesture to understand the huge mistake they made.”
Unfortunately this episode adds to the long trail of acts of gratuitous animal cruelty. From the cat Leone II, killed by firecrackers in San Ferdinando di Puglia, to the dog Arona, burned alive in Palermo. Inexplicable episodes that once again indicate that more attention is needed from the legislator to strictly and surely punish those who commit crimes against animals.