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Duncan man, 2 teens arrested after video of drugged cat posted online

Two teens have been arrested in connection with an animal cruelty case in Duncan that saw a family’s cat shaved and drugged. A 16-year-old girl and a 17-year-old boy have been charged with causing an animal to suffer.

Two teens have been arrested in connection with an animal cruelty case in Duncan that saw a family’s cat shaved and drugged.

A 16-year-old girl and a 17-year-old boy have been charged with causing an animal to suffer. Joshua Michael Lemire, 20, is also charged with causing unnecessary pain and suffering to an animal.

The three accused have been released on bail with conditions not to contact the cat’s owner or each other, not to consume intoxicants and not to possess or care for any pets or animals.

The abuse case has some people so enraged that the RCMP are warning against vigilante justice.

Sharline Haglund’s 16-year-old daughter was sent Snapchat videos of the family’s cat, Gigi, being abused at about 2:30 a.m. Tuesday morning.

The videos showed someone taking a razor to the cat’s fur.

Another image was sent with the caption, “Your cat loves Molly,” referring to the party drug MDMA.

Gigi got outside sometime on Monday night and was picked up by a group of youth who know Haglund’s daughter, a student at Cowichan Secondary School. After the abuse, the cat was sent out into the rain.

“The cat has had a really traumatic experience for sure,” Haglund said.

Members of the community went looking for Gigi and she was found on Sherman Road Tuesday night. The cat’s fur was shaved and discoloured with possible bleach spots. The numbers “666” and “my cat” were written in black marker on each ear.

Gigi is being treated at Prevost Veterinary clinic in Duncan. The cat tested positive for MDMA, said veterinarian Dr. Bonnie Baines. “She definitely could have died from this,” Baines said. When Gigi was brought into the clinic, she was twitchy, agitated and had a higher-than-normal heart rate.

Baines said the cat’s condition is improving. The veterinarian said she sees cases of animal neglect but rarely deliberate abuse.

“It’s tragic,” she said.

In response to the public outcry, the RCMP are warning people against taking matters into their own hands.

“The public is encouraged to let the police complete the investigation and respect the judicial process,” said Island district RCMP spokeswoman Cpl. Tammy Douglas.

“We are always concerned when people decide to bypass law enforcement and take matters into their own hands. When that happens, there is a risk that investigations can be jeopardized and key evidence can be lost. Although we can appreciate that this matter has upset many people, vigilantism will not be tolerated.”

The B.C. SPCA was contacted as part of the investigation. Animal protection officer Tina Heary called the case “disturbing.”

What makes the case unique, Heary said, is “the fact that the people documented it and shared it with the owner. And of course not to mention what they subjected the cat to and then ultimately abandoning it in the freezing rain.”

Haglund said she’s concerned not only about the animal cruelty, but also the cyberbullying directed at her daughter.

kderosa@timescolonist.com