Kurt Zouma / TW Animal cruelty

[HotToddyColdSauvignon]

Apologies, couldn’t see a thread about this.

Just seen the most horrendous video of a West Ham footballer drop kicking his cat across the room, then throwing things at it, then slapping it out of someone’s arms.

(Link to video mobile.twitter.com/emilyhewertson/status/1490811894197886981?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet)

• sky news link also - www.skysports.com/amp/football/news/11685/12535891/kurt-zouma-west-ham-defender-apologises-after-video-emerges-of-him-kicking-his-cat

It’s being published by the sun, but what I don’t understand is, why when (quite rightly) the lady who slapped the horse was sacked, all West Ham have said was that they “have spoken to him and will deal with internally”.

This is horrendous! The poor cat

He will have to go. It might take time though.

@Wheresmywoolyjumpers - quite ! The RR situation was only a few days ago and the backlash/reaction was obvious. Rightly so. And it’s an indication of the mentality around football that it took the backlash to change things.

Moyles had a number of hours, from when the video went viral to naming his squad, to make a decision. He’d surely seen the reaction on SM. Yet he went ahead anyway. That was, in basic language, a dick move.

As said above, in some ways I’m glad KF had to endure the ire of the crowd. But it was still the wrong decision to play him last night.

There are many wrong-doings that come to light in the press all the time. But I’m hard-pressed to think of an industry that tops football for the amount of wrong-doings. Rape, sexual assault, racism, DV, animal cruelty, driving offences. It seems constant in that arena - and it’s bloody depressing. Dont get me wrong, I love cheering on the team for the Euros/WC - it’s a great feeling cheering on your team. But football, to me, never seems to move past questionable behaviour.

I was just reading a number of comments under one of the articles on twitter and there were a lot of men saying 'this isn't animal abuse, he's just mucking around grin' which is even more upsetting.

Doesn't surprise me at all, I've noticed A LOT of men actively hate cats, it's very worrying. I think he wouldn't dream of doing that to a dog and would know what the reaction would be if he did. I read some daily mail comments but they were all moderated, I just know if they weren't a whole bunch of people (men) would be saying "so what it's just a cat" and either minimising it or not caring at all/actively enjoying it in a way that wouldn't happen if it was a dog.

Well I’d emailed all the sponsors the night the video came out in public, and just received this reply from Scope Markets, one of their major sponsors

Not impressed to say the least

This was on my Facebook feed this morning.

@Katie2017

'Doesn't surprise me at all, I've noticed A LOT of men actively hate cats, it's very worrying. I think he wouldn't dream of doing that to a dog and would know what the reaction would be if he did. I read some daily mail comments but they were all moderated, I just know if they weren't a whole bunch of people (men) would be saying "so what it's just a cat" and either minimising it or not caring at all/actively enjoying it in a way that wouldn't happen if it was a dog.'

I've never met a man who actively dislikes cats, and who would not be disgusted about what he did. I've met both men and women who are indifferent to cats, but none of them would condone this. I'm certainly a dog person, but I still think cats are awesome, and I wouldn't dream of harming one. I'm not into football in the slightest, but I'm pretty sure that the majority of those booing him were probably men.

@RampantIvy I do condone this and would pay for a front seat ticket to view 🙂

I don't know any men who treat a cat like this. I know plenty of men who are indifferent to cats but actually know more women who actually hate cats (but I'm sure they wouldn't abuse them!). I've seen men, in real life and in videos, abusing dogs so I don't think it's true to say a man would never treat a dog like this.

Imagine Dermot O'Leary being a supporter of the Cat's Protection and saying, (not verbatim), 'He's paid his fine, and now it's up to him to volunteer at Battersea'. I've just lost all respect for that Dermot.

What needs to happen is that this arsehole is prosecuted to the fullest possible limit. Then he can be a 'role model'. There are people out there that think it is ok to abuse animals because of our paltry laws. I think he should become a 'role model' for those that are disgustingly cruel, and hopefully see what they might get as a punishment.

Apparently, as part of his punishment, the club are making him attend an animal awareness course.

I’m dreading the possibility that the cats are going to be returned to him. Surely that can’t be good for their well-being, they must be terrified in that household.

Surely not. Animals never forget their abusers.

From what I’ve seen that others have posted, it’s not a given that the animals will remain “seized” and that they could possibly be returned.

What I’m hoping is that, given the obvious backlash, he does the right thing and voluntarily releases them to the RSPCA for rehoming. Part of me wouldn’t be surprised if he did that - though it won’t be for their sake, it will be for his sake, to try to get back public favour. And, of course, it won’t stop him from obtaining alternative pets.

I think sadly everyone involved in this is hoping the furore is going to disappear as quickly as it came, West Ham, Zouma, sponsors. The media hasn’t particularly run with it. It’s up to other agencies and fans/public to keep the pressure up.

The biggest problem is that football is a business now compared to years ago, not a game. There are no morals, no expectation of behaviour as long as you win. He was the one of the better players? Shame on whoever made that I'll advised decision. They need a back bone
The thousands of fans have more integrity than that one man
Good for them

The petition is nearing 300,000 - let's get it up some more.

Sky news is reporting that Dagenham and Redbridge council have suspended his brother for his part in filming... adding it condemns any abuse to animals.

apologies it's Dagenham & Redbridge FC regarding his brother

I've never met a man who actively dislikes cats, and who would not be disgusted about what he did. I've met both men and women who are indifferent to cats, but none of them would condone this. I'm certainly a dog person, but I still think cats are awesome, and I wouldn't dream of harming one. I'm not into football in the slightest, but I'm pretty sure that the majority of those booing him were probably men.

My comment was in reply to someone who was saying they were reading plenty of male comments saying "he's just mucking around" with a grin emoji. My dad once told me his friend deliberately ran a cat over once just for kicks-probably back in the 70s, funnily enough he has always had a cat or two since I've known him. Can't help but think he wouldn't have done the same if it was a small dog but could be wrong. Hope he feels badly about what he did now! Of course most men will find what this footballer and his brother did disgusting rightfully so.

Yes, @Katie2017 - I have the same experience and although there are women who actively dislike cats, I have met far more men (yes yes NAMALT, most men are decent). When I worked with children in psychiatric wards, the majority of the ones who had abused animals were boys and the victims were usually cats. You only had to look at Twitter to see how many men were saying they hate cats.

Could it, however, have been parallel thinking by Moyes - play him literally in the heat of the fire, make him take the abuse from the fans (and all right-thinking people), then dump him unceremoniously?

The sponsors are pulling back already, it's only a matter of time.

(I should also add that if anybody hurt any of my cats or abused any animal, child or vulnerable person in my presence or to my knowledge, they'd be lucky to leave my house in an ambulance, as opposed to a hearse. On my oath, I am not a violent woman, but I have very clearly defined limits where that stops being a thing.)

Was good to see it being discussed on Question Time this evening.

People who abuse animals are many times more likely to be abusive to wives, partners and children. It's a psychopathic lack of feeling and empathy and extremely disturbing. Vets are trained to look out for it.

@Furries

Was good to see it being discussed on Question Time this evening.

It was really interesting, I especially liked Laura McAllister's viewpoint.

What kind of mindset does Zouma have? Thinking it is acceptable to film this animal abuse in front of his child and then post it on line for his fans entertainment? Awful man (and his brother).

I hope he doesn't get the cats back.

Perhaps it would be a good idea to agitate that when a person who is successfully prosecuted or even investigated for animal cruelty, that a referral is made to child social services is there are children in the property/ with contact. Provided suitable additional funding from government.

West Ham have said Zouma will be available to play in the next match - against Leicester - and so it sounds like they will be playing him. I hope the West Ham sponsors and fans, and the Leicester fans, take note.