On the 30th of last month, a petition was posted on the Blue House National Petition Board demanding strict punishment for an online community user who abused a stray cat and shared photos and videos as proof. [Photo by Blue House National Petition Board capture]
[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] A petition urging strict punishment for an online community user who abused stray cats and shared photos and videos as proof has been posted.
Previously, in July last year, a gallery on an online community was reported and shut down after footage showing the cruel abuse and killing of cats was uploaded, but the same behavior has been repeated in other galleries since then.
On the 30th of last month, a post titled "Please shut down the gallery that abuses stray cats and conduct a thorough investigation" was published on the Blue House National Petition Board.
The petitioner stated, "Last year, footage showing cats being cruelly abused and killed was uploaded as if broadcast live on the DC Inside Stray Cat Story gallery, leading to a national petition and the immediate closure of the gallery," adding, "However, most users remained anonymous and were not caught."
They continued, "These users have now gathered again in a gallery called Yaongi Gallery on the same site, uploading several abuse videos every day."
Furthermore, they added, "They justify the abuse by calling cats cockroaches, opposing the government's TNR policy, and saying all cats should be killed and eliminated."
According to the petitioner, on the 28th of last month, a video was uploaded to this gallery showing a stray cat trapped in a metal capture cage being set on fire with a torch, mainly targeting the cat's face. The footage also showed a stray cat desperately crawling away with a broken leg.
The petitioner expressed anger, saying, "The video was so cruel that it was unbearable to watch, and the fear and pain of the cats on screen were horrifying beyond words."
In addition, users of this gallery made hateful remarks, assuming that "stray cat caregivers are women, low-income individuals, or Chinese-Korean residents." They also went as far as investigating the residences of specific caregivers.
The petitioner said, "Just because someone raises cats, rescues injured stray cats, or feeds them, their personal information has been collected and openly posted in articles, leading to collective harassment and threats."
They added, "There are many victims and pieces of evidence reported so far, and multiple lawsuits are underway."
The petitioner also noted, "Many people who have seen this continue to report it, but the user who posted the stray cat abuse videos mocks them, saying, 'I bought a paid IP conversion program, so you will never catch me.'"
They pointed out, "The number of posts about cat abuse is rapidly increasing, and due to the limitations of police manpower and the anonymous nature of the site, most abusers are escaping easily."
They urged, "They are preparing second and third galleries in anticipation of shutdowns and plan to move if necessary, persistently continuing the abuse of stray cats. Please take strong measures to thoroughly investigate and shut down the gallery and prevent the same abuse from being repeated in other galleries."
As of 6 p.m. on the 1st, this petition has gained support from over 37,000 people.
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