’Absolutely reprehensible’: arrest made in connection with slain cats found under bridge

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This article was published 14/01/2025 (259 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

An arrest in the case of several cats found dead under a west Winnipeg bridge last month has renewed calls for more extensive regulations after police said some of the animals were acquired through a social media platform.

A 24-year-old man was arrested at his home at about 6:40 p.m. Friday after the Winnipeg Police Service reported six dead cats found under Summit Road bridge in December.

“Investigators learned that the suspect had either lured the cats or made arrangements and acquired them on social media platforms,” Const. Dani McKinnon said during a Tuesday news conference.

“They were tortured, and they were killed, and it’s absolutely reprehensible.”

The man, who is not known to police, faces three charges of killing or injuring an animal. McKinnon said only three killings have been confirmed, correcting the initial report of six.

Police did not release his name because he was released on an undertaking, and the charges have not been formally laid in court.

Police received three separate reports of dead cats under the bridge near CentrePoint Canada Way on Dec. 8, Dec. 28 and Dec. 30. Police said on Dec. 31 that the cats appeared to have been victims of animal cruelty and that the incidents were likely connected.

The cats were discovered in bags or lying out in the open by area residents, who contacted police.

Some of the cats were identifiable, and the city’s animal services agency either connected with or tried to contact their owners.

Krista Boryskavich, an animal advocacy lawyer with the Winnipeg Humane Society, said the organization is lobbying the provincial government for more extensive regulations surrounding the sales and giveaways of animals online.

“What we’ve got in Manitoba, and across Canada, is many unlicensed breeders selling animals online, and you’ve got people offering up animals for free online,” Boryskavich said.

“The challenge with that is not everyone looking to sell or rehome their animal online do the appropriate checks, and in some cases any checks, to see if these animals are going to unfit owners or situations of abuse or cruelty.”

Boryskavich said options range from an outright ban of online sales, recently done in Spain, to other alternatives, such as in New Brunswick, where only licensed and government-inspected breeders are permitted to conduct online sales.

Sellers in New Brunswick are given a number, and those numbers must be placed on online sales ads, with enforcement available for those who skirt the rules.

“There are different ways in getting to the same end,” she said, adding discussions are ongoing with government. “It’s our goal to see changes (in Manitoba) in 2025. We’ve been working hard on this issue. This has been an exceptionally difficult year in terms of animal cruelty.”

Police, meanwhile, stressed that while the investigation into the murdered cats is ongoing, they have not found a link to several dead cats reported last September in Winnipeg’s Point Douglas neighbourhood.

McKinnon said animal cruelty cases police have recently seen are disturbing and take a toll on investigators tasked with probing them.

Irene Lima and Chad Kabecz were arrested in October after a police investigation into a report from the Office of the Provincial Veterinarian detailing videos and pictures shared on the dark web showing the torture and killing of animals.

McKinnon said police don’t believe the cases are related or animal cruelty incidents have become a trend.

“There is a trend in having access to online reporting and online comings and goings, and untoward behaviours now, and police investigations dive into those,” she said.

Police asked anyone with information about the incidents to call major crimes unit investigators at 204-986-6219 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 204-786-8477 (TIPS).

scott.billeck@freepress.mb.ca