Watch: Scenes From Yesterday’s Cat Vigil Following Horrific Sliema Killings
Animal lovers and concerned residents convened yesterday evening to honour the cats that were brutally killed by an unknown assailant in Sliema over the past few weeks.
“This is the power of animals,” one person passionately said. “They’ve gotten us out of our homes on a Sunday evening, they give us something humans can’t.”
Vigil for Malta’s Slain Cats took place on Sunday 29th June at 8.30pm in Triq is-Salvatur, the very street where some of the attacks occurred, giving a voice to these helpless creatures.
At least five cats have been found dead in Sliema’s streets since early June, with animal welfare groups and residents reporting grim details of injuries that point to intentional harm. One of the cats, a friendly stray named Pupa, was found lifeless and bloodied, with part of her tail severed. CCTV footage captured what appears to be the attacker slamming her to the ground before returning to the scene multiple times.
The footage has since been handed over to police, and investigations are ongoing.
Meanwhile, Real Animal Rights member and activist Dr Romina Frendo is urging residents to come forward with CCTV footage and information that could help identify the perpetrator. A reward for information has now reached €4,000, thanks to a pledge from Mix Markt Malta.
“We cannot treat a cat’s life without dignity simply because it is ‘just a cat’,” Frendo told Lovin Malta. “We’re dealing with lost lives and these animals don’t have a voice to speak up, so we need to stand up for them.”
As the search for the person or people behind these gruesome attacks continues, tomorrow’s vigil offers the public a chance to mourn the animals lost, show solidarity with heartbroken feeders and call for justice.
Did you attend the vigil?
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