Police hunt for Chinese teens who killed cats

Hong Kong Herald (IANS) Sunday 5th February, 2012

Police in China's Shanghai city is on the lookout for three notorious teenagers suspected of having brutally killed 10 stray cats during the weeklong Spring Festival holiday.

Cleaners and residents in Shanghai's Pudong area, discovered cats that had their throats cut almost every day over the festival break, the Shanghai Daily reported.

"One day, I saw a dead pregnant cat whose belly had been ripped opened and a foetus taken out and left beside it," said a resident surnamed Lu, adding that he also knows of a a cat whose head was smashed open some time ago and its brains scattered around.

The neighbourhood had over 40 stray cats, and residents often looked after them, said Lu. But their number has now reduced to just around 10.

As per a resident, two boys and a girl had been seen chasing cats and shooting them with toy guns that fire plastic bullets, said another resident Wu, adding that the children said they found it "interesting to hurt cats".

Police and residents have started patrolling the neighbourhood to prevent any more killings.

Angry residents have also started requesting everyone in their area to identify the teenagers.

"We must find them and their irresponsible parents and educate them, otherwise it will be too late when they grow up," the residents said.