【明報專訊】In the United Kingdom, Mary Bale, a 45-year-old woman, was videoed dumping a live cat into a rubbish bin. The video was put on the Internet. It has aroused widespread resentment.
According to a spokesman for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSCPA), Bale has been prosecuted for "causing unnecessary agony to animals" and "not being able to provide the cat with an appropriate environment". A person found guilty of either offence may be jailed and prohibited for life from animal rearing.
The cat in question, called Lola, belongs to Darryl and Stephanie Mann. The couple said their car had been intentionally damaged a few times, and that was why a close-circuit camera had been installed outside their house. It was the camera that recorded Bale's misbehaviour.
The video was uploaded to YouTube. It provoked an outcry. Some netizens have even formed "anti-Bale" groups on Facebook.
■Did you know...
The Hong Kong Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (防止虐待禽畜會，即香港愛護動物協會前身, SPCA) was founded in 1903. It remained inactive until Governor Sir R E Stubbs (港督司徒拔爵士) re-established it in 1921. The SPCA has since been in operation. It aims at promoting kindness and preventing or suppressing cruelty to animals.
■Keywords
ethical issue……道德問題
responsibility……責任
■Questions
1. Why has Bale been prosecuted?
2. To what extent are the Mann couple responsible for the incident?
3. What do you think one must consider before one decides to keep a pet? Explain.
■Further readings
1.Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (UK): http://www.rspca.org.uk
2.Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals: http://www.spca.org.hk
