‘Depths of evil': BBC investigation uncovers global cat abuse network
The BBC investigation discovered encrypted chat groups where some UK-based members openly discussed adopting kittens from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) with the intent to mutilate them. One group participant even posted adoption forms, encouraging others to obtain animals for abuse.
This disturbing revelation comes shortly after two teenagers pleaded guilty to torturing and killing kittens in a London park in May. The 16-year-old girl and 17-year-old boy admitted to inflicting brutal injuries, including cutting open the kittens and using knives, blowtorches, and scissors, shocking the local community. Police are now probing potential links between the suspects and the broader international network that circulates such violent footage.
Originating in China, where the first graphic cat torture videos went viral in 2023, the phenomenon has since spread worldwide. Animal rights group Feline Guardians, which has documented these online communities, reports that between May 2023 and May 2024, a new video depicting the torture or killing of a cat appeared every 14 hours on average. They have identified 24 active groups this year, some with over 1,000 members. One prolific torturer is believed to have abused and filmed more than 200 cats.
Lara, a volunteer with Feline Guardians who has gone undercover in these forums, described the cruelty as 'the depths of evil.' She said, 'Every day I feel heartbroken, there is not a day that goes past that I don't feel like my heart is breaking.'
The videos and photos seen by the BBC include extreme acts such as drowning and electrocution of cats. Some torturers even use electrocution to revive cats and prolong their suffering.
Newcomers to the groups are pressured to torture animals and share videos to gain wider access. Disturbingly, evidence suggests children are involved; one member boasted, 'I'm 10 years old and I like to torture cats.' The network even promoted a '100 cat kill' contest in September 2023, challenging members to see who could kill that many cats the fastest.
A notorious figure known as 'Little Winnie,' whose profile mocks Chinese leader Xi Jinping with a Winnie the Pooh image, is reportedly an administrator on several of these encrypted forums. An activist from Feline Guardians managed to infiltrate the network by befriending the individual behind the account, eventually identifying him as a 27-year-old man living in Tokyo.
Feline Guardians urges governments and law enforcement agencies to act swiftly. Lara warned, 'It will only continue to expand and get worse' without intervention. The group has protested outside the Chinese Embassy in London, calling on Beijing to introduce laws to stop the abuse.
'In mainland China, there are no laws stopping this. Abusers can do what they want and live out these very sadistic fantasies without consequence. These videos become a global problem accessible to everyone, including children.'
Ian Briggs, head of the RSPCA's special operations unit, condemned the cruelty, 'Treating animals in this way is absolutely not acceptable and has no place in a modern society made up of kind, compassionate animal lovers.'
Johanna Baxter MP, chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Cats, described the groups as 'a deeply worrying trend, particularly among young men.' She warned, 'Animal abuse often acts as a gateway, making future acts of violence easier to rationalize and commit.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Roya News
16 hours ago
- Roya News
UK House of Lords member pushed crackdown on pro-Palestine group
A British member of the House of Lords personally lobbied government ministers to crack down on activists from the Palestine Action group, acting on behalf of a US-based military technology company. Lord Richard Dannatt, a former chief of the UK army and current adviser to Teledyne Technologies, reportedly wrote to two Home Office ministers following an attack on one of the company's factories in Wales. The factory had been targeted in 2022 by Palestine Action activists over the company's involvement in supplying military equipment to 'Israel', which caused an estimated £1.3 million worth of damage, according to prosecutors. In December 2022, after meeting with senior Teledyne officials, Dannatt wrote to then-Home Secretary Suella Braverman, claiming that the 'threat from Palestine Action has more widespread implications for security and the economy within the United Kingdom.' He urged assurance that the group was being monitored by security services and that 'appropriate action' was being taken. He also reportedly told Braverman he planned to brief Teledyne's board in the US, suggesting he was seeking to reassure the company that UK authorities were treating the issue seriously and 'that the threat from Palestine Action in the UK is being suitably addressed.' 'The slow pace at which the British legal system has been working to take action against those involved in the trespass and criminal damage resulting from such 'direct action' has served to embolden Palestine Action and their continued recruitment drive for individuals who are prepared to commit arrestable offences,' he wrote. In a separate letter in September 2024, Dannatt contacted Dan Jarvis, then Labour's security minister, again seeking updates on the government's response to 'renewed attacks on Teledyne facilities.' However, concerns were raised about Dannatt's involvement in the legal process. During the court case in May 2023, a senior police officer involved in the investigation noted that Dannatt appeared to want to influence the proceedings, warning colleagues it would be 'unwise' for a member of the House of Lords to interfere in a live criminal case. Despite this, the court later ruled there was no evidence that Dannatt tried to influence the investigation. Prosecutors said he was only requesting information, and the judge agreed. Lord Dannatt is currently under investigation for allegedly breaching parliamentary rules that bar peers from lobbying on behalf of private interests. The UK government officially banned Palestine Action under anti-terrorism laws on July 4, making it illegal to support or be affiliated with the group. Since the ban, over 200 people, including clergy and former magistrates, have been arrested for showing support.
Al Bawaba
2 days ago
- Al Bawaba
Saudi student fatally stabbed in Cambridge; two arrested in shocking attack
ALBAWABA- A 20-year-old Saudi student, Mohammed Al-Qassem, was fatally stabbed in Cambridge late Friday night in what police are calling an unprovoked attack. The incident occurred near Mill Park, close to Cambridge train station, where Al-Qassem was participating in a ten-week academic training program. Emergency services were called to the scene at 11:27 p.m., but despite efforts by paramedics, Al-Qassem was pronounced dead just after midnight. The attack has stunned both the Saudi community and Arab diaspora in the UK, with tributes pouring in across social media. Flowers and handwritten messages were placed at the scene in his memory, one reading, 'May your soul be at peace. We are with God and we are with you.' Al-Qassem was enrolled at EF International Language Campus in Cambridge, which expressed deep sorrow over the loss, confirming he was one of their adult students. Also Read John Oliver: Gaza is being starved by Israel Cambridgeshire Police confirmed on Monday that Al-Qassem was stabbed in what appeared to be an unprovoked assault. An autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday. Chas Corrigan, 21, of Holbrook Street, Cambridge, has been charged with murder and possession of a knife in a public place. He appeared at Peterborough Magistrates' Court on Monday and is set to appear at Cambridge Crown Court on Tuesday for a preliminary hearing. A second man, aged 50, was also arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender and remains in police custody. Investigations are ongoing.
Roya News
2 days ago
- Roya News
‘Depths of evil': BBC investigation uncovers global cat abuse network
An extensive global network dedicated to sharing videos and images of cats being tortured has been uncovered, with active members located in the UK, the BBC has found. The network reportedly consists of thousands who post, trade, and sell disturbing content showing cats being subjected to horrific abuse. The BBC investigation discovered encrypted chat groups where some UK-based members openly discussed adopting kittens from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) with the intent to mutilate them. One group participant even posted adoption forms, encouraging others to obtain animals for abuse. This disturbing revelation comes shortly after two teenagers pleaded guilty to torturing and killing kittens in a London park in May. The 16-year-old girl and 17-year-old boy admitted to inflicting brutal injuries, including cutting open the kittens and using knives, blowtorches, and scissors, shocking the local community. Police are now probing potential links between the suspects and the broader international network that circulates such violent footage. Originating in China, where the first graphic cat torture videos went viral in 2023, the phenomenon has since spread worldwide. Animal rights group Feline Guardians, which has documented these online communities, reports that between May 2023 and May 2024, a new video depicting the torture or killing of a cat appeared every 14 hours on average. They have identified 24 active groups this year, some with over 1,000 members. One prolific torturer is believed to have abused and filmed more than 200 cats. Lara, a volunteer with Feline Guardians who has gone undercover in these forums, described the cruelty as 'the depths of evil.' She said, 'Every day I feel heartbroken, there is not a day that goes past that I don't feel like my heart is breaking.' The videos and photos seen by the BBC include extreme acts such as drowning and electrocution of cats. Some torturers even use electrocution to revive cats and prolong their suffering. Newcomers to the groups are pressured to torture animals and share videos to gain wider access. Disturbingly, evidence suggests children are involved; one member boasted, 'I'm 10 years old and I like to torture cats.' The network even promoted a '100 cat kill' contest in September 2023, challenging members to see who could kill that many cats the fastest. A notorious figure known as 'Little Winnie,' whose profile mocks Chinese leader Xi Jinping with a Winnie the Pooh image, is reportedly an administrator on several of these encrypted forums. An activist from Feline Guardians managed to infiltrate the network by befriending the individual behind the account, eventually identifying him as a 27-year-old man living in Tokyo. Feline Guardians urges governments and law enforcement agencies to act swiftly. Lara warned, 'It will only continue to expand and get worse' without intervention. The group has protested outside the Chinese Embassy in London, calling on Beijing to introduce laws to stop the abuse. 'In mainland China, there are no laws stopping this. Abusers can do what they want and live out these very sadistic fantasies without consequence. These videos become a global problem accessible to everyone, including children.' Ian Briggs, head of the RSPCA's special operations unit, condemned the cruelty, 'Treating animals in this way is absolutely not acceptable and has no place in a modern society made up of kind, compassionate animal lovers.' Johanna Baxter MP, chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Cats, described the groups as 'a deeply worrying trend, particularly among young men.' She warned, 'Animal abuse often acts as a gateway, making future acts of violence easier to rationalize and commit.'
