Victorian town rocked by animal torture videos shared on social media
WARNING — DISTURBING CONTENT: Several agencies are investigating a series of horrifying animal cruelty videos shared on social media in Victoria.
A cache of five separate clips seen by Yahoo News Australia involves kittens, an adult cat, a kangaroo and two birds.
In one video a man sporting a thick mullet and wearing a blue flannelette shirt bites off a small bird’s head and spits it out. Someone in the background can be heard laughing.
A separate video shows a man similar in appearance biting the head off what looks to be an Indian myna, an introduced species. It’s unclear whether either bird was alive at the time.
Live kittens slammed against floor
Details of the other videos are even more disturbing. One shows someone holding a bloodied cat by the neck and hitting its head on a shed wall.
A longer 17-second-clip documents a man systematically throwing six living kittens on the ground, and then exclaiming: “Six dead f***ing cats”.
In another video, a kangaroo is filmed bleeding on the ground, struggling to breathe and suffering from a severe wound.
A man can be heard laughing behind the camera as he kicks the dying animal which is unable to stand or defend itself. It remains unclear whether the same man is responsible for all of the videos.
Police investigating alleged aggravated animal cruelty
The videos surfaced this week in the small country town of Yarram and Victoria Police, RSPCA and the Conservation Regulator are responding.
In a statement, police confirmed they received a report of aggravated animal cruelty on Monday, and interviewed an 18-year-old man from the Gippsland area.
His firearms licence has been suspended and an investigation into both alleged animal cruelty offences and offences against the Firearms Act is ongoing.
The maximum penalty for illegally hunting, taking or destroying protected wildlife in Victoria is $9,246 and/or six months imprisonment.
Under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, further fines of up to $45,480 and/or 12 months imprisonment can also apply.
Anyone with information in relation to these videos is urged to contact Yarram Police on (03) 5182 5033 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
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