Many animals missing

Cat killer may have struck more often

The cat “Schmotzer” had to endure unbearable suffering.(Bild: Privat)

The cat from Brixen in Tyrol that was brutally killed was named “Schmotzer” and had the misfortune of living in the neighborhood of two of the four young men under suspicion. The fact that other cats are missing in the region is now raising anxious questions.

The images of the cruelly beaten tomcat from Brixen im Thale (Kitzbühel district) have left a lasting impression, and not just on animal lovers. It is now clear which unfortunate cat is involved.

Beloved neighborhood cat
“Schmotzer” was the cat’s name. The charming ginger tom belonged to a farm in Brixen, according to research by Ms. Regina, the chairwoman of the animal welfare association Hunde-Such-Hilfe Österreich.

Free spirit and “wandering cat”
“Schmotzer” enjoyed his life as a “wandering soul” and free spirit in the region—just as unneutered tomcats tend to do. He would stay at one farm one day, another the next, and was fed everywhere he went. “He was loved everywhere and a very trusting cat,” says the association’s chairwoman. The farm belonging to two of the suspects was also his home—unfortunately, as we now know, his last...

The tomcat “Schmotzer” had to endure unbearable agony.(Bild: Privat)

A veterinarian neutered him and fixed his teeth
There, in April, the roughly five-year-old cat caught the attention of a local veterinarian. She took him in, neutered him, and also had “Schmotzer’s” teeth treated at her own expense.

Pet owners in the region who are missing their cat should contact us, the Dog Search Assistance, at 0664/9113540.

Regina, Obfrau Hunde-Such-Hilfe

Farmer promised to keep feeding the cat
“Then she brought him back to the farm and got the farmer to promise to keep feeding him,” the animal rights activist explains. There, he fell into the hands of the brutal animal abusers. The cruel end to “Schmotzer’s” story is well known.

Suspect threatened the person who reported the crime
According to the police, the four regret the heinous act. But association chairwoman Regina doesn’t quite believe that and points to a voice message on a cell phone that the association has in its possession. “In it, the 16-year-old threatens the person who filed the report on the matter,” says Ms. Regina. He was told to withdraw the report immediately. Of course, he didn’t do that, as it turned out.

Concerns about missing cats
Meanwhile, concerns are growing about the fate of other cats in the region. “Many cat owners have contacted us reporting their cats missing,” explains the association chairwoman. This raises the question of whether the brutal quartet has struck in a similar manner before and more frequently.

No Hervis Employee
Rumors that one of the perpetrators is employed by the sporting goods retailer Hervis are, incidentally, untrue. “An internal investigation has revealed that none of the four men are Hervis employees,” the company emphasizes in a press release.