Pet cat returns home with .22 caliber bullet in abdomen
The differences between the P.I. and The Times are widespread, and almost everyone in Seattle knows it.
Take this story about a recent cat shooting, for example. While The Times buried it in their site's local digest, the P.I. gave it prominent, "above the fold" coverage on their website. The Times headline is more to the point ("Help requested to find cat shooter"), and their write-up only a few sentences. At the P.I., meanwhile, the headline screams like something from the New York Post: "Cat shot as she slept, says owner."
The article details a Haller Lake family whose pet cat was Daisy Mae returned home Thursday night with blood dripping from her mouth and a .22 caliber bullet in her abdomen. Now Daisy Mae's owners the Booker family, who claim the animal was shot as she lay curled up sleeping, are seeking answers.
Sounds like a pretty bad situation all around, especially in a neighborhood described by the owners as a "peaceful area". Dan Jordan of the Seattle Animal Shelter brings up the possibility that the shooter, who is still at large, could be a teenager. Animal cruelty as a youth, he points out, can often lead to greater violence as an adult.
I'll place my bets in Jordan's assumption: I'd wager that the criminal behind this cat's injury (and, by the unfortunate looks of things, potential demise) is a bored youth looking for some fun. Any takers?
In the past, I've heard about cases where neighborhood pets were murdered out of rage - there was recently a very exciting story in California, covered in-depth by the Marin Independent Journal, that ended with a surprise twist nobody saw coming.
But that case had mitigating factors: there was already bad-blood between Garduno and Barbara Bicknell, and the dog wandered into Garduno's yard due to (what I consider) Bicknell's negligent pet ownership - if she knew the neighbor was a threat, she should have been watching the dog to make sure he never got a chance to hurt it.
The Garduno case was less clear-cut than that of Daisy Mae. While I obviously believe Garduno was wrong in killing the dog, his life should not have been destroyed in the way that it was. And Barbara Bicknell acted overly dramatic (see: her absurd courtroom outburst) to garner sympathy from the media and from the public. Hell, even those busybodies over at PETA got involved, sending a letter to the Marin DA urging the "vigorous prosecution" of Garduno.
But again, these are totally different cases. Among other things, Daisy Mae was a cat, not a dog - which is important here, as cats are much less threatening and "in-your-face" than dogs - and she appeared to be minding her own business. Who knows if the Booker family had enemies in the neighborhood, if somebody was out to get them back for something, or if this really was just a random attack. I guess we'll know more as it develops.
Take this story about a recent cat shooting, for example. While The Times buried it in their site's local digest, the P.I. gave it prominent, "above the fold" coverage on their website. The Times headline is more to the point ("Help requested to find cat shooter"), and their write-up only a few sentences. At the P.I., meanwhile, the headline screams like something from the New York Post: "Cat shot as she slept, says owner."
The article details a Haller Lake family whose pet cat was Daisy Mae returned home Thursday night with blood dripping from her mouth and a .22 caliber bullet in her abdomen. Now Daisy Mae's owners the Booker family, who claim the animal was shot as she lay curled up sleeping, are seeking answers.
"It was bad enough when we thought at first she'd been hit by a car," [Melinda] Booker said. "Who would do this kind of thing? She's just a shy little kitty; she didn't deserve this. There's a monster out there."The piece reports that at press time, Daisy Mae was alive as vets attempted to "stabilize" her for surgery - a process that requires they "first mend her damaged jaw and broken teeth so she can eat."
Sounds like a pretty bad situation all around, especially in a neighborhood described by the owners as a "peaceful area". Dan Jordan of the Seattle Animal Shelter brings up the possibility that the shooter, who is still at large, could be a teenager. Animal cruelty as a youth, he points out, can often lead to greater violence as an adult.
I'll place my bets in Jordan's assumption: I'd wager that the criminal behind this cat's injury (and, by the unfortunate looks of things, potential demise) is a bored youth looking for some fun. Any takers?
In the past, I've heard about cases where neighborhood pets were murdered out of rage - there was recently a very exciting story in California, covered in-depth by the Marin Independent Journal, that ended with a surprise twist nobody saw coming.
But that case had mitigating factors: there was already bad-blood between Garduno and Barbara Bicknell, and the dog wandered into Garduno's yard due to (what I consider) Bicknell's negligent pet ownership - if she knew the neighbor was a threat, she should have been watching the dog to make sure he never got a chance to hurt it.
The Garduno case was less clear-cut than that of Daisy Mae. While I obviously believe Garduno was wrong in killing the dog, his life should not have been destroyed in the way that it was. And Barbara Bicknell acted overly dramatic (see: her absurd courtroom outburst) to garner sympathy from the media and from the public. Hell, even those busybodies over at PETA got involved, sending a letter to the Marin DA urging the "vigorous prosecution" of Garduno.
But again, these are totally different cases. Among other things, Daisy Mae was a cat, not a dog - which is important here, as cats are much less threatening and "in-your-face" than dogs - and she appeared to be minding her own business. Who knows if the Booker family had enemies in the neighborhood, if somebody was out to get them back for something, or if this really was just a random attack. I guess we'll know more as it develops.
