SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH — A disturbing video has surfaced online, showing a young girl violently beating a cat with a stick. The footage, which has been circulating in local Facebook groups from Ogden to Murray, has sparked outrage among community members and raised concerns about both animal cruelty and child welfare.
In the video, a child can be seen grabbing a cat by its front leg and repeatedly striking it with a stick while adults look on without intervening. The disturbing nature of the video has left many viewers feeling deeply unsettled.
Tanja Posada, a concerned citizen, was one of the first to come across the video. Her daughter, Amayah, showed it to her, and the impact was immediate. “Furious. Hurt. Upset. Just, my heart ached for it,” Posada said. She and her daughter shared the video on social media in an attempt to gather information and raise awareness about the abuse. “I showed it to my mom, and she immediately called the police. I started sharing it everywhere to get help for the animal,” Amayah explained.
Posada’s post in a Murray Facebook group quickly gained traction, with hundreds of shares, comments, and reactions from concerned citizens seeking answers and offering support. Despite the public outcry, Posada expressed frustration with the response from the police. She noted that West Valley City Police, who have received multiple reports about the video, did not seem to prioritize the case. “They said it’s in a queue to be assigned to someone,” Posada said. “But if this was a child being harmed, would that be the same response?” she questioned.
The Humane Society of Utah has also weighed in on the incident, expressing deep concern over both the immediate and long-term implications of such behavior. “Not only from an animal cruelty perspective but also from a child welfare perspective,” said Alexis Pagoulatos, executive director of the Humane Society of Utah. “Violence against animals often correlates with violence against people, and there is a serious risk that a lack of empathy at such a young age could lead to more troubling mental health issues in the future.”
Pagoulatos also emphasized the importance of reporting such incidents to authorities and urged the public to collect any evidence that may help in an investigation. “Attacks against animals are unlawful. Torturing animals is unlawful; we depend on witnesses to report these incidents and provide evidence where possible,” she said.
As of Wednesday afternoon, West Valley City Police confirmed that they had opened an investigation into the matter and were following leads. While the investigation is ongoing, the community is left hoping for swift action to ensure justice for the abused cat and address the underlying concerns about the child’s welfare.
Posada and her daughter, Amayah, are calling for accountability. “They need to be held responsible,” Tanja said, referring to the adults who were present but did not intervene. “They’re condoning their children abusing this animal, and it’s only going to get worse.” Amayah echoed her mother’s sentiment, urging for charges to be pressed and for those responsible, including the child’s parents and anyone present in the room, to face consequences. “Animal abuse and cruelty get swept under the rug too often,” she said. “I just want to see justice.”
As the investigation unfolds, the community remains on edge, hoping that this disturbing incident will prompt not only justice for the abused animal but also a closer look at the broader issue of empathy, violence, and child welfare.