Former Trooper Shawn C. Houston is seeking reinstatement in his job after he trapped Rowdy, his neighbor’s cat and then shot it.
Houston, 39, has been charged with two misdemeanors for cruelty to animals and injury to real property.
Houston was reportedly upset that an animal was climbing on cars parked at this home
The court filing says Houston was bothered by something climbing on vehicles parked at his home in North Carolina and that the “unknown animal” jumped out at him one night. He says that he was trying to protect his young sons when he caught the five-month-old kitten a baited steel trap and killed it.
The owner Andrea Evans said the kitten was a birthday present to her son. When she learned of Houston’s actions, she complained to the police but she was told that they would not do anything. She then went to the county magistrate, who issued a criminal summons against the trooper on the two misdemeanor charges. She insisted that Houston’s sons played with Rowdy and that she does not believe the story of an attack by an unknown animal. She also says that Houston has never apologized to her family.
For the full story, click here.
This story made me sick. My heart goes out to Rowdy’s family for their loss and for having to live next door to this poor excuse of a man.
I am glad that the officer was cited and lost his job. How could someone(aka monster) could shot any animal let alone a five month old kitten for leaving paw makes on their cars. I think he should have be charged with more but at least he was held accountable for his actions.
Mo,
I checked out your site and I have to say I like your taste in Jefferson quotes.
“Single acts of tyranny may be ascribed to the accidental opinion of a day; but a series of oppressions, begun at a distinguished period, and pursued unalterably through every change of ministers, too plainly prove a deliberate systematical job of reducing us to slaves.” – Thomas Jefferson
Most excellent. Sadly true, but astutely observant.
You can find all you need to know about Shawn C Houston HERE:
http://moronsinchapelhill.com/2010/06/01/kitten-murder-petition-to-keep-kitten-murderer-shawn-c-houston-from-getting-his-job-back.aspx
and you can see him “featured” on a Cat Magazine here:
http://moronsinchapelhill.com/2010/06/02/kitten-murderer-shawn-c-houston–appears-on-cat-magazine-cover.aspx
Cats don’t damage cars. They just leave pawprints that can be easily washed off. What an example for his children.
John,
And if you wear that dress, you shouldn’t complain when men get too friendly. Our laws are our laws, even if you think the victim was asking for it.
There’s a reason we have animal cruelty laws. There’s a reason we have a legal system for dealing with the negligence of others causing property damage. There’s a reason that system isn’t “I get to do whatever I want in the name of getting even.”
Batman’s a great Tragic hero, but he’s a terrible role model.
@Gyges I didn’t miss the sarcasm, and sure there were other things he could have done.
Personally I would not have killed the cat, I’d rather rake the owners over for damages. (Or maybe some bird shot in the owners butt instead.)
But what I am saying is, if you leave your responsibility for your pet up to someone else, don’t cry about how they handle it.
if the state trooper job doesn’t work out for this brave kittykiller i’ve heard of a cagefighter that is looking for a new training partner.
The trapping of the kitten was bad enough and if the former cop was really worried about his children, he didn’t have to shoot it. As a former cop he probably knows the animal control officer for that area and could have contacted them. The killing is a crime and he should never wear a badge again. I would also suggest that the N.C. DCFS should also investigate whether this idiot is safe with children.
John,
You are of course right, the only possible course of action was trap and shoot the cat.
Nothing else would have worked.
The state of the officer’s vehicles are in much greater jeopardy now that he is unemployed than they ever were from the kitten.
One wonders what in the world he was thinking when he pulled the trigger … but then maybe he judgement was blinded by the big, bag gun he carried.
That’s right Buddhapest, I enjoy my stuff. Damn kitten. They are destructive and serve nothing more than mere amusement for puppets.
Awwww. Boo hoo.
So that makes your stuff more important than a living creature? Sorry, sport. You’re still acting like a materialist.
Enjoy your stuff.
Since it’s more important than living things to you.
@Buddha
Sorry pal, but this is just more than ‘stuff’. I wasn’t given any of this ‘stuff’.
Instead I worked and exchanged part of MY LIFE to be able to get this ‘stuff’ & more to provide for my family. And to do that I missed some of the non-material things like seeing more of my kids, and being a bigger part in their lives.
Maybe your life is different than mine, so I can’t judge what is important to you.
But we also had pets (dogs), they were a part of my responsibility and I took it seriously, because of the love I had for them.
I didn’t let then off my property into the road or on to someone else’s property…because you don’t allow that if you really love them.
I had a cat who liked climbing on the hood of my car – he enjoyed the warmth from the engine. He actually looked kinda cute curled up in a wee ball sleeping peacefully. All it took to clean up the paw prints was a little soap and water. No scratches since a car is one, tough scratching post.
I shutter to think what Officer Houston would do if confronted with a violent, and vicious five month-old child projectile vomiting.
Sorry, John, but if you weren’t such a materialist you’d realize a paint job is just a thing and a cat is a living being. But then again, stuff is more important than life, isn’t it?
Especially your stuff.
You might want to add some rubbing compound to that stuff you value so much. Along with a little elbow grease, it’d clear those scratches right up and nothing has to die to keep you happy about your stuff. Because everyone knows the key to happiness is owning things.
Enjoy your stuff.
So would the cat’s owner like to pay for a new paint job on the cars that it has been climbing on?
And its not anyone’s job to track down owners of any animal that has been jumping up and scratching a $20,000 to $50,000 vehicle.
Sorry people, but if you really love those animals, keep them on YOUR property, then there’s no problems like this.
So, if the officer ate the kitty after shooting it, would that still be considered “cruelty to animals”?
I mean, we just had a post where a court argued that a bolt gun to the brain was the gold standard for humane treatment of an animal.
And the second charge – “damage to real property”. Is the cat the damaged property? If so, then how can a cat be deemed to have the right to not experience cruelty?
It’s about time someone did something about those dangerous kittens!
Why just the other day, my neighbors kitten swiped at my daughter because she took a toy away from the kitten.
They are dangerous and violent animals!
Seriously though…..how much damage can a kitten do to a car? All I can think of is that they make little footprints all over the hood and roof of a car.
Is it that hard to decipher cat footprints from racoon prints? Maybe that officer was in the wrong line of work if he can’t tell a cat print from a racoon print.
Barney gone bad. I guess he has more cats to get before he is imprisoned himself. Ok Cat!