Ok, ok. I watched the YouTube video of the woman throwing the cat in the garbage. Honestly, I laughed. Out loud. It was funny.
She pets the kitty... "nice kitty".
She notes the garbage can right next to her... "hmm...".
She pets the kitty some more... "well, kitty, I always liked Bob Barker...". (you know "get your pets spayed or neutered"? Maybe she was advancing Bob's cause; one less wild cat reproducing???) ...anyway...
She grabs the kitty... "see ya!", plops kitty into said garbage bin.
And continues on her way, not even looking back.
I don't care who you are, if this was on SNL, it would get belly laughs. If Adam Sandler did it, kids would be duplicating it daily. Perhaps she meant no harm, perhaps she meant major harm. I still laughed.
But, here's the deal (and where my rant begins). This has more to do with owner responsibility in my book. This cat was roaming on a sidewalk, NEXT TO A BUSY STREET! Did the owners not even consider THIS was dangerous. Perhaps the owners should thank this woman for saving their cat instead of becoming squished kitty in the street.
"Oh! But Lola NEVER runs into the street. She's a good kitty"
Right. Cats (and all animals) do have a sense of right and wrong and can look out for their own well being. My bad.
Seriously, and maybe I'm just sick of it living where I do, but the world is NOT your personal pet playground. If you think you are responsible enough to own an animal, be responsible enough to keep it safe at all times. Build a fence, buy a tie-out, get a leash, keep it indoors. If you think your animals is "safe" roaming the streets, then don't be surprised if it disappears, gets struck and killed by a car, gets injured in a fight with another animal or gets thrown in a garbage! Whether you live in England or Montana. This applies to everyone, everywhere. I'm weary of pet owners who really don't understand what it means as a "privilege" to own an animal. This can also apply to some parents whose kids wander aimlessly through town, unattended.
I also am a pet owner. I grew up in a house where if we didn't have cats, the home wasn't complete. I currently own 2 dogs, who if are not indoors, are either on a leash when we walk, are kept safe inside a comfortably large chain link fence in our back yard or tied-out on camping excursions. If they are running loose, I'm in close proximity monitoring their safety or I am dead and was not aware (for obvious reasons) that they got out. I am not a perfect owner, I am just a responsible one. I'm not advocating animal cruelty, never, ever, EVER! If this woman kicked the cat, different story. But this was done, I think, without malice (read her side of the story, she was sure the cat would jump right out). I still feel the right to find this clip funny, as a pet owner, an animal lover, and as a responsible citizen. At least that won't happen to my animals.
Cuz if it did, that would be trespassing on private property. That IS a crime.
Lighten up. Kitty's fine. Woman is sorry (now). End of rant.