Police called after dead cat found in area linked to cruelty case

Winnipeg police have been contacted by the humane society after a dead cat was found in an area linked to an animal cruelty case earlier this year.

The Winnipeg Humane Society confirmed it was notified about the animal in the Summit Road area Tuesday afternoon, near the bridge where six dead cats were found in December 2024. They contacted the Winnipeg Police Service major crimes unit and were asked to pick up the cat so police could investigate, said Andrew Clarke, the society’s director of investigations and emergency response.

He described the animal as being found “in a condition of distress.”

“We’ve maintained possession of the animal to assist Winnipeg Police Service in furthering any investigation that they want to undertake with respect to the incidents that they were investigating at the beginning of this year,” he said Wednesday.

A police spokesperson confirmed it had received a report of “suspicious circumstances involving a deceased feline” in the area but said it was too early to connect it to the previous investigation.

Randy Jensen, 24, was arrested in January and charged with three counts of killing or injuring an animal in relation to the cats that were dumped under the bridge. The accused, who had no criminal record, was released on an undertaking.

Clarke couldn’t say if the cat had been linked to an owner. He’s led the society’s investigations section for more than two years. In that time, he said the number of cases in which “egregious” violence is committed against domestic animals has risen.

“There has been an increase in violence toward animals, and that’s concerning… a lot of the violence that we see (is) where you have instances of cats, and current cases we have with the WPS, with dogs, even, that are being brutalized, or suffering serious wounds from abuse that’s inflicted upon them,” he said.

Most recently, a 20-year-old man who was seen mistreating two dogs in his care was arrested April 4. Witnesses said he had “violently” pulled on one of the dog’s leashes in the Central Park neighbourhood. He was charged with animal cruelty and failing to comply with conditions of a release order. He was released on an undertaking.

Irene Lima, 55, and Chad Kabecz, 40, were arrested in October 2024 after police alleged they had tortured and killed cats and sold videos of the crimes online. Their charges include accessing child pornography, bestiality and killing or injuring animals.

That was the case that sparked the creation of Project Artemis Advocates Winnipeg, a Facebook group with 1,800 members who share information about animal cruelty cases.

The creator of the page, Kristy Zamonsky, said she was tipped off about the dead cat that was found Tuesday.

She said pet owners must be “hyper vigilant” and her group’s members must press police to continue to pursue animal cruelty investigations.

“Cats are still missing everywhere,” she said. “Every day in Crestview or Charleswood, there is literally cat posters up every single day of people losing their cats right out of their yards, off leashes.”

In March, the provincial government said it was beginning discussions related to “initiatives to protect domestic animals in our province,” but didn’t go into detail.

Clarke said the society’s investigations team has had productive conversations with the province.

“The Animal Care Act in Manitoba, it’s got a bit of teeth in it,” he said.

“All legislation could always have a bigger impact on those that want to do harm to people or animals. So, we would certainly invite anything that they can do to strengthen the (law) that would assist us in doing our job and advocating, and helping animals in need.”

malak.abas@freepress.mb.ca