Sulphur woman shaken by cat cruelty

LOUISIANA-- A Sulphur woman is badly shaken after finding a tortured neighborhood cat outside her door.

Sulphur Animal Control investigators are asking for the public's help in the case.

"I pray they do catch this person. A portion of me wishes that they could go through the same thing that poor cat did, 'cause that was wrong," said Sharita Clement of Sulphur.

Clement says the image of the tortured cat won't leave her mind. She heard a thud early Thursday morning and then discovered the tabby, known as Caramel, struggling inside a garbage bag outside her window. She ripped the bag open.

"I couldn't do anything to save it, because I'm pregnant and knew what I smelled was bleach, and it was so blue I already knew it was going to have to be put down," said Clement.

Clement says she used to work for a vet and would help save animals. She can't imagine why someone would do such a thing.

"I don't know. They're just sick people," she said.

Sulphur Animal Control officials say they know through their training that there is a cycle of violence that usually starts with animals and ends with people.

"There is a connection between animal abuse and people abuse, but the people abuse is so wide and so broad there's no way for me to say specifically what type of person could have done this other than that the two are definitely related," said Grady Hungerford, Sulphur animal cruelty investigator.

Hungerford says sometimes animal cruelty is intended to hurt a person.

"Get back at say, an ex-wife, for example, or if they're having problems with someone else. We have seen that happen where people will abuse these folks' animals," said Hungerford.

They are still investigating what was done to the cat.

"The only thing that we can actually confirm is that the animal had bleach water in its lungs, and it appears it had been drowned or possibly suffocated," said Hungerford.

The animal was euthanized by a certified technician, due to the extent of its injuries. Caramel was a stray, yet Clement says he was sweet and belonged to the neighborhood. She makes this plea:

"Whoever did this come forward, 'cause it's wrong," said Clement.

Anyone who saw anything that might help solve the case is urged to call Sulphur Police or Sulphur Animal Control, which is part of the police department. The numbers are 527-4550 or 527-4577.

(KPLC-TV - May 23, 2014)