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Days after the torture and death of a cat in Utah, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has announced it is putting up a billboard urging people to keep their felines indoors in order to keep them safe.
Sage, a 6-year-old gray-and-white domestic cat, went missing from his Clearfield home March 5 and somehow made it home Wednesday suffering from broken ribs and toes, facial injuries and hot glue burns on his eyes, anus and genitals. The feline was treated at an animal hospital but died from the injuries Thursday.
"The horrific abuse that Sage endured is a reminder that it's never safe to let our companion animals outdoors unattended, even for 'just a minute,' " PETA Vice President Colleen O'Brien said Monday in a news release. "Cats count on us to protect them, and the best way to do that is by keeping them safe indoors with the rest of the family."
The news release notes that cats roaming outdoors also risk being hit by cars, being poisoned, contracting fatal diseases, getting lost and being snatched by people who sell them for use in experiments.
The PETA billboard will be placed in Clearfield as soon as a location is selected there, according to Megan Wiltsie, assistant press coordinator for the Virginia-based organization.
The Humane Society of Utah initially offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the abuser. As news spread of Sage's torture, private donations to the reward fund began piling up and had reached nearly $50,000 as of Monday evening.
Under Utah law, torture of a companion animal is a third-degree felony, punishable by a fine of up to $5,000 and zero-to-five years in prison.
Anyone with information on this case is urged to call Davis County Animal Services at 801-444-2200, or John Fox, HSU chief investigator, at 801-261-2919, extension 210.
Twitter: @PamelaMansonSLC