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Kurt Zouma / TW Animal cruelty

338 replies

HotToddyColdSauvignon · 08/02/2022 01:30

Apologies, couldn’t see a thread about this.

Just seen the most horrendous video of a West Ham footballer drop kicking his cat Shock 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)

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

OP posts:
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theneverendinglaundry · 09/02/2022 11:43

@SallyWD

I gave up eating meat because I hated the cruelty surrounding meat production. So yes I can feel sad about this cat and the suffering of animals on farms. Yes it's hypocritical to eat meat and be sad about one cat but I suppose most people don't want to think too deeply about where their meat comes from. Many people have much loved pet cats and find it difficult to see such horrible treatment.
This.
theneverendinglaundry · 09/02/2022 11:52

@StarlingsAreAmazing completely agree with you. I think part of the problem is the smokescreen of red tractor and the rspca assurance. Consumers see these labels and think that their meat is from an animal that was well cared for. It's simply not the case.

Would you shove 1000s of cats in a windowless shed, let them walk in their own shit for weeks? And then their legs give way because they've been forced to grow so quickly so they end up sitting in their shit and getting ammonia burns?

No, of course we wouldn't. But people happily complain about Kurt Zouma on their way to KFC.

I'm not taking his side, I feel angry about it too. He should be punished. But people need to see the hypocrisy of what they are saying. Just because you are buying your chicken all packaged and didn't kill the chicken yourself, you're still part of the system.

WatcherOnTheWall · 09/02/2022 12:07

Why should anyone care if we eat meat anyway.

I do see what you're saying with this sentence. I suppose it's better to care about some than none at all. But I wouldn't count vegans as part of those making things unproductive in this case simply because I don't think it's a vegan's job to help others avoid seeing this blindspot or to help others not think too deeply about where their meat comes from. Often, calling out the hypocrisy of a thing is what rings the bell for some people.

I know I'm on my way to being fully vegan, I don't know why I still bother with eating animal products tbh but I've come from being a full on animal-product consumer having meat, etc everyday to this. Discussions like this from vegans has helped me understand that there's very little difference. Abuse is abuse.

zlister · 09/02/2022 12:16

Eating meat is less important than how they're treated and admittedly, that's a big issue. Yes, it's speciesism, but if they have a good life and die one day it's still a million times better than nature.

I hate to be that person but it's the natural order, it happens whether humans exist or not. Subsistence farmers who kill their own livestock or hunt are doing a shit ton less damage to the environment than any of us in the West.

BUT Even if you don't care about animals whatsoever, and you don't like them: somebody slapping their pet around is exceptionally cruel. Doing that in front of a CHILD and making them join in. Abusing a pet they took in with the sole purpose of caring for - that is just sick. That should never be tolerated and isn't the same as someone having a glass of milk or even eating a steak.

BronwenFrideswide · 09/02/2022 12:33

Looks like he can be also be prosecuted by France and Prosecutors there have been contacted, calls have also been made for him to be dropped from the France team. If he thought his 'apology' would make it go away he is mistaken.

How ironic would it be if France dropped him from the National side whilst West Ham cravenly continue to play him.

He needs to be prosecuted and those cats need to be removed from him.

Fluffycloudland77 · 09/02/2022 12:36

@ChardonnaysPetDragon

Bloody hell, the child holding the cat.
That shocked me too, he’s trying the next generation to be cruel fucks too & their learning it’s acceptable in that family.

What is their mother doing letting it happen at all? Has she no say in what goes on under her roof?.

I’m glad I can make my own living and not be beholden to whatever a man dishes out.

My husband would never treat an animal like that.

Legoninjago1 · 09/02/2022 13:51

Completely pointless for him to apologise about this. You either are the kind of person who can do something like this or you're not. Now we know.

Frollop · 09/02/2022 14:08

RSPCA have just confirmed cats are now in their care and bring checked by vet.

ABitBesottedWithMyDog · 09/02/2022 14:13

@Frollop

RSPCA have just confirmed cats are now in their care and bring checked by vet.
Good.

Let them be rehomed. There'll be thousands of homes up and down Britain ready to take them in.

BronwenFrideswide · 09/02/2022 14:15

@Frollop

RSPCA have just confirmed cats are now in their care and bring checked by vet.
Good to know, I can't see anything in the news about it could I ask where have you heard that from? Hopefully, they won't give them back and they will prosecute. Be interested to know if they seized them or he voluntarily signed them over/gave them up.
BronwenFrideswide · 09/02/2022 14:20

Thanks Jagley it does indeed work.

That is good news.

Schmoozer · 09/02/2022 14:28

HOORAY 😃
The cats are out of that hell hole !
Now let’s see the French 🇫🇷 use their tough new animal protection laws on the arsehole and his brother !!!
Of course it would be good to have those tough laws ourselves ….

BronwenFrideswide · 09/02/2022 14:46

Now let’s see the French 🇫🇷 use their tough new animal protection laws on the arsehole and his brother

The new French Law is tough especially as it covers acts committed outside of France and it seems that anyone can make a complaint, with supporting evidence obviously, to the Prosecutors and they are duty bound to investigate/prosecute. I would imagine him and his laughing brother weren't expecting that.

lucywho123 · 09/02/2022 14:50

Good news about the cats being taken, what a relief. SURELY he won't get them back? He's also been fined the max by West Ham - 2 weeks wages = £250k. Hopefully sponsors will now start dropping him also

TheOnlyMrsMac · 09/02/2022 15:03

That club fine is nothing. Zouma's place in the team and public loss of sponsors would be something. The club also needs to lose sponsors for playing him last night. He should be prosecuted in England and France, and with a ban on keeping animals. Not forgetting his enabling, laughing brother. And not forgetting a safeguarding investigation into the welfare of the (3?) children and his wife.

TheOnlyMrsMac · 09/02/2022 15:08

@BronwenFrideswide

Now let’s see the French 🇫🇷 use their tough new animal protection laws on the arsehole and his brother

The new French Law is tough especially as it covers acts committed outside of France and it seems that anyone can make a complaint, with supporting evidence obviously, to the Prosecutors and they are duty bound to investigate/prosecute. I would imagine him and his laughing brother weren't expecting that.

I agree, the two cruel bullies weren't expecting that. Sadly, I think the cats and child were expecting what happened in that home to happen. It was not the first time.
lucywho123 · 09/02/2022 15:08

Vitality have just suspended their sponsorship of West Ham. That’s quite a big statement from them

Sheilaroundthefountain · 09/02/2022 15:17

@LaurieFairyCake

I want the cats rehomed

I want him fired

I want the fans to turn their backs on him and boo him

I want exactly what Laurie wants but I’d also like 5 minutes alone with him, because yes I’m a 50 year old, unfit, quite short woman, but I’d love to cause him physical harm.
BronwenFrideswide · 09/02/2022 15:23

@lucywho123

Vitality have just suspended their sponsorship of West Ham. That’s quite a big statement from them
Oof. Kissimee are also reviewing their links with West Ham so I've read. West Ham made an absolute balls-up by playing him last night they should have suspended him immediately pending disciplinary action by the Club. The fine and the one match ban now are too little too late.
Frollop · 09/02/2022 16:08

Sky News advised his club have fined him £250,000 which is 2 weeks wages. To be donated to animal charity.

A sponsor has also withdrawn

StrawberryPot · 09/02/2022 16:33

I thought people might be interested in the following email I've just received from the RSPCA

Dear supporter,

You will likely have seen in the news the distressing video posted to social media of a high profile footballer kicking and slapping his cats. As you may be aware, we are unable to update people when enquiries are ongoing, but we wanted to provide all our supporters with the details we can share, as we have received many enquiries and know there is a lot of concern about the cats.

We'd like to reassure people that we're investigating and the cats are safe and in our care. We have been dealing with this since before the clip went viral online and need time to conduct our investigation.

We are a charity but we have to act in a similar way to the police in the way we investigate any matter, following proper legal processes. Investigations do not conclude overnight and there is often work going on behind the scenes that we're unable to update people on.

Please only call our national cruelty line about this if you have fresh information, so we can continue to receive calls about other animals in need of our help.

Thank you as ever for your wonderful support, and we hope this email is reassuring.

Rudyfromthecaprilounge · 09/02/2022 16:41

Let's hope the next piece of news is that West Ham have fired him. I can't imagine any football club anywhere would hire him again they'd jeopardise their fans and sponsors
The twat manager who let him play last night also needs to step down
He and his brother should both be prosecuted. This will haunt them for the rest of their lives - good!

ABitBesottedWithMyDog · 09/02/2022 16:44

Moyes didn't have a choice, in fairness. It's only the board who could terminate his contract.

TheOnlyMrsMac · 09/02/2022 16:51

Moyes had a choice not to play him last night and, stupidly, he chose to play him.