17 October 2023 , 22:12
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A man has been identified and charged after a video of a cat being kicked off the pavement went viral.
Warwickshire Police say a 71-year-old was charged after Ring doorbell footage picked up a man kicking the feline across the road in Leamington, with the incident occurring early in the morning of September 16.
The poor cat, Lenny, was 20 at the time and loved by his street - but sadly died days later. Police said the man, who has not been named but is from Leamington, was interviewed on Monday. He will face a charge of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal at Warwickshire Magistrates Court in Leamington Spa on November 10.
The video shows a man crossing the road with his Alsatian before encountering Lenny. The man, dressed in black trousers, a black sweater and a white shirt, berates his dog as he puts its lead on and shakes it by the scruff of the neck. He then walks towards Lenny on the pavement and lashes out, sending him high into the air before he lands sprawling on the tarmac.
Lenny's owner told MailOnline she was “gobsmacked” at how someone could commit that action. “It's just a shock to a lot of people in the street. Even people that came around the area to walk their dogs – he wasn't even bothered. So for that man to do what he did – he wouldn't have even gone up to his dog. He's so used to people passing him and just being friendly.”
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An RSPCA spokesperson said: ”'This footage is extremely distressing and upsetting to watch, and we offer our sympathy and condolences to Lenny's owners on the loss of their elderly pet.”
In a statement, Warwickshire Police said: "A 71-year-old Leamington man will appear before court next month after CCTV footage of a cat being attacked was circulated. The man was interviewed yesterday, 16 October. And today he received postal requisition to appear before Warwickshire Magistrates Court in Leamington at 9.30am on 10 November. In court he will face a charge of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal."