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| An injured cat with its legs tied was found in a garbage can near a park in Seobuk-gu district in Cheonan city, South Chungcheong Province, on Oct. 15. / Yonhap |
By Hong Dam-young
A couple in their late 20s who reported cat cruelty to an animal shelter have turned out to be responsible for dumping the animal in a trash can.
An animal shelter officer in Cheonan city, South Chungcheong Province, wrote on social media on Oct. 16 that passers-by found the cat in a garbage can near a park in Seobuk-gu district.
"The dying cat was in a plastic bag with other food wastes," the officer wrote.
"Its legs were tied and several serious injuries on its body indicated the cat had been abused for a long time."
The case went viral on social media, prompting a call to find the abusers. An animal shelter called "CARE," also a non-profit animal rights organization, offered a million won ($900) to find the culprits.
Surprisingly, the culprits were the man and woman who reported the cat to the shelter, said Cheonan Seobuk Police Station on Wednesday.
The two initially denied a charge of animal abuse, but later admitted it to police in the face of evidence.
The two had dumped the cat – a stray they caught on the street – after failing to sell it on the Internet, police said. They also injured the cat to make it look like an abandoned house cat so an animal shelter would take it.
The suspects are alleged to have been making money by adopting animals – cats and dogs – and selling them through social media. Police will continue investigations for additional charges.
"If they had just let the cat go, they could've avoided the charge," a police official said.
"I guess the suspects somewhat felt guilty for what they did."
