Lansing, Michigan USA Tragedy ~ Pawprints and Purrs

"The time will come when men such as I will look upon the murder of animals as they now look upon the murder of men." ~ Leonardo Da Vinci ~
"True human goodness, in all its purity and freedom, can come to the fore only when its recipient has no power. Mankind's true moral test, its fundamental test (which lies deeply buried from view), consists of its attitude towards those who are at its mercy: animals. And in this respect mankind has suffered a fundamental debacle, a debacle so fundamental that all others stem from it." ~ Milan Kundera (1929 - ) ~

Animal abuse is running rampant in America and Canada. Because of recent interest in animal abuse and cruelty, we are hearing more and more cases every day. Only we will be able to make a difference to the suffering and death these little lives have undergone. Until we can form a united outcry of protest, ONE VOICE, sadly we will continue to hear of these atrocities against the animals we love.

Ron Ayers of Kitty Lea's Cozy Cat Corner contacted me with a case that happened in his area - Lansing, Michigan. Because he wrote such thorough detail in his emails, I have copied and pasted them in their entirety regarding the case on this page.

Sadly and most unfortunately, a horrible case of cat abuse has occurred in my area. A cat was set on fire in Lansing, Michigan, and was burned very severely on Tuesday, October 21, 1997. Fortunately, he was spotted by a school teacher who called the Capital Area Humane Society who responded immediately and delivered him to emergency veterinary care. It appeared that he was going to survive even though he may have had to have his tail and left hind leg amputated. He suffered burns over 70% of his body. Then on Thursday, October 23, his condition began to deteriorate and it was decided that it would be best for him to send him on his way.

I am especially close to this case. I contacted the Capital Area Humane Society immediately after this happened and made application to adopt or foster the kitty when he was ready. I remained in close touch with them throughout this ordeal, and I am remaining in close contact with them. When they told me that he had to be put to sleep I was devastated; it was just like losing one of my own.

No suspects are in custody, however the Humane Society's Animal Abuse Investigators are pursuing this case vigorously. Michigan has some of the toughest animal abuse laws in the nation. An act such as this is a felony, and a first offense is punishable by up to 2 years in prison and/or a $2,000.00 fine.

I have offered to see if I could somehow use the internet to increase awareness of this incident. The Capital Area Humane Society would like to receive donations in connection with this case so that a reward can be offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible and for the large vet bills incurred by the valiant effort to save this poor kitty's life. If anyone reading this message is so inclined, donations can be made to:

Capital Area Humane Society
7095 W. Grand River Avenue
Lansing, Michigan 48906

This type of support greatly assists the Humane Society its efforts to help kitties such as this one and in investigating such cases of abuse.

If you know of any way to increase public awareness of this horrible incident, your help would be greatly appreciated.

Later Ron sent me the following which broke my heart:

Attached is a picture of the kitty. He is still unclaimed and unnamed. This picture was taken off of the television screen during a newscast, so it's not the best quality. I still have trouble looking at this sweet face without tears when I think of what he was made to go through and wonder what he ever did to deserve that.

There are still no suspects in this case.

Obviously, little Lansing (as he's been dubbed) has sadly become a forgotten statistic. No animal should EVER have to endure such abuse. Little Lansing lost his fight for life ... don't let Lansing be forgotten; don't let his life and horrific death be in vain. Please, please help tell the story of his tragically painful life. Send in your donations to Capital Area Humane Society, no matter how small, to defray the veterinary costs and toward reward money to locate and prosecute the cruel and evil person(s) responsible for his murder.

Update - December 4, 1997: Ron reported today that posters have been placed in the vicinity of the scene of the crime offering a $500.00 reward.

Update - December 20, 1999: Two years after Lansing died, no one has yet come forward with any useful information.

Stop Animal Abuse NOW.

Please consider making a donation that helps to pay for our feral cat colony and foster cats' and dogs' food, upkeep, and medical care. 100% of all donations go to the animals; we're all volunteers - there're no salaries or administrative fees. Thank you for your support!

Visit our message board for serious information gathering and decimination regarding animal health, advocacy, and rescue - cats, dogs, wildlife, and so much more. You will have to register, but it's FREE. We hope you will join us.