First Channel 10 reported that a human hand was behind the ”decapitation” of cats in Pinellas County. Then it was picked up by other media.

Our colleague Stephen Thompson got to the bottom of the Largo Cat Caper, but still, a Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office spokesman was moved to further set the record straight in one of his classic news releases.

Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office Media-Alert Message
Re: Media Inquiries Regarding Cat Deaths in Largo

This morning we have had numerous media inquiries regarding the death of two cats in the unincorporated area of Largo.  Speculation that the cats were intentionally killed and dismembered by a human being has been ruled out in both cases.  Detectives have determined that both animals were likely killed by a dog, or dogs that were unsupervised in the neighborhood.

The first incident was reported on Thursday, March 13, 2008.  According to deputies the owner of the cat had let the animal out at about noon.  When she returned home around 5:00 p.m., the pet owner found part of the cat in her yard.  The woman buried the remains before reporting her discovery to deputies.

The second case was reported on Friday, April 4, 2008 after a resident who had been walking his dog just before midnight discovered the dismembered remains of a cat in a neighbor’s yard.  Deputies responded to investigate but they were unable to identify the cat’s owner.

Both incidents were documented as possible acts of animal cruelty by the responding patrol deputies, and both cases were then referred to our Investigative Operations Bureau for follow-up.  Detectives assigned to the cases tell me that as part of the investigation they consulted with officials from Pinellas County Animal Control.  Animal Control Officials were shown photographs documenting the injuries sustained by the second cat, and it was determined that the cats were likely killed by dogs.

Detectives have found no evidence that a knife or other cutting instrument had been used to kill the animals, and there is no evidence to support a theory of human involvement.  Furthermore, detectives say the remains were discovered in a manner consistent with a dog attack rather than an attack by a wild animal.

I hope this message has sufficiently answers all questions about these investigations for everyone who has called.

Sergeant Jim Bordner
Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office
Public Information Office

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