The cat was 2-year-old Charley, rescued from a shelter last year and treasured by his family, which includes an 8-year-old with special needs. The situation has also been devastating for the Covington Country Club Estates neighborhood, which posted fliers and sent out a warning email blast.
Jeff Dorson with the Humane Society of Louisiana said this kind of crime is becoming a troubling trend.
"Unfortunately, if you go on the Internet, called half-cat mutilation, this is not an isolated crime," he said, "It has been duplicated around the country, in different cities and in Canada."
And Dorson is especially concerned if imitating kids are behind Charley's death.
"It's always an indication that more crimes will follow and usually very violent crimes," he said. "So if a kid can do this to a cat, clearly nothing is stopping them from continuing."
The neighborhood association did not want to talk to us on camera about this incident, but did vow to catch whoever is responsible. In the meantime, the Humane Society is hoping to take their efforts beyond just this crime.
"Lobby for more resources and better law enforcement policies for animal control. Brings the attention to law enforcement to make this a higher priority and give them the resources that they need," he said.
Though the sheriff's office is investigating the case as animal cruelty, the neighborhood streets will be filled this weekend with people dedicated to catching Charley's killer and bringing comfort back to their community.
Any tips should be reported to the St. Tammany Sheriff's Office at 985-898-2338 or to the Humane Society of Louisiana at 1-888-6-HUMANE. A reward of up to $800 is being offered for information leading to an arrest.
(WWLTV - Aug 11, 2015)
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