A man has allegedly trapped his neighbour’s cat, set it on fire and let it run home to its devastated owner in far north Queensland.
The man used a trap to catch the pet cat in Innisfail in the early hours of Saturday morning, police allege.
The cat was then allegedly doused in petrol and set alight as it was released from the trap.
Mortally wounded, the animal ran home where it was found by its owner.
A 62-year-old Queensland man is facing serious animal cruelty charges after he trapped his neighbour’s cat, doused it in petrol and set it alight (stock image)
Its owner rushed it to a local vet but it had to be euthanised.
Police charged the 62-year-old man with serious animal cruelty.
He is scheduled to appear at Innisfail Magistrates Court on September 18.
The offence occurred in the Innisfail suburb of Goondi Bend, on Maple Street.
Innisfail residents have taken to social media to vent their rage over the senseless act, with one calling on the offender to be the one doused in petrol and left to burn.
The offence occurred in the Innisfail suburb of Goondi Bend, on Maple Street (pictured)
‘Shame they don’t douse him in fuel and set him alight. B***tard,’ an angry woman wrote.
Another agreed, saying: ‘Kill this idiot. Or set him alite too. Omg!!’.
The sheer brutality of the offence, specifically by an elderly male, sent one Facebook user over the edge.
‘Any one else taken back a bit that it was an older gen person aged 62 I’m so shocked by incident and by age of person SHAME!!!!!!!!!! SHAME ON HIM!!!!!!!! WHO THE HELL DOES THIS HONESTLY.’
Others posted their condolences to the ill-fated feline: ‘Rip little kitty I hope they throw the book at him,’ one wrote, with another adding: ‘RIP Little One ..:'( Karma To The Offender.’
Mortally wounded, the animal ran home where it was found by its owner, who rushed it to the vet