Alley Cat Allies Calls for Felony Conviction and Justice for Mr. Meow in Copperopolis, Calif., Cat Cruelty Case

COPPEROPOLIS, Calif., May 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Alley Cat Allies President and Founder Becky Robinson is calling for the maximum punishment allowed by law in the case of Colton Fontes, a California man accused of a felony of animal cruelty that was unlawful, malicious and intentional in the shooting and killing of the cat Mr. Meow earlier this year. Fontes filmed his torture, shooting and killing of Mr. Meow–a disturbing, bloody video–and circulated it on social media.

"This was an intentional act of cruelty that demands a vigorous prosecution and the maximum penalty from the courts," Robinson said. "Cats suffer and feel pain. The abusers of these crimes must be prosecuted. Cats are victims. Anti-cruelty laws are there to protect all cats, including those who live their natural lives outdoors in every landscape."

"Violence toward cats and other animals are frequently just the starting point for additional criminal behavior," Robinson added. "Well established research has identified the link between violence against cats and violence against humans, which is why it is so important for the criminal justice system to deliver the maximum penalty. It is important to prevent cruelty to more animals in Calaveras County, and the only way to ensure justice in Mr. Meow's death."

Robinson also called for the judicial system to prohibit Fontes from ever being allowed to own or be near animals again.

The Calaveras County Sheriff's Office said on March 11 that Fontes admitted to the killing. According to court records, Fontes is scheduled to be arraigned in the Superior Court of California, Calaveras County, on Monday, May 16.

About Alley Cat Allies
Alley Cat Allies is the leader of the global movement to protect and improve the lives of cats and kittens. Now in our 32nd anniversary year, we are joined by over 800,000 supporters worldwide.

Our President and Founder Becky Robinson is a leader whose vision, thought leadership and innovation have revolutionized humanity's understanding and respect for the intrinsic value of cats. Becky is working toward transformational societal change with a distinct, but not exclusive, focus on compassion for animals, community empowerment and community cohesion.

Alley Cat Allies believes every cat deserves to live out his or her life to the fullest. We exposed an entrenched system in which animal control agencies and shelters have been killing millions of cats for over a century. Today, the programs we introduced in the United States are mainstream.

To achieve our goals, we collaborate with grassroots advocates, animal shelters, municipal managers, and lawmakers to replace deadly laws and policies with ones that protect cats.  We defend all cats by offering cutting edge education online, in person, and through one-on-one dialogue. We advance lifesaving innovations such as Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) and Shelter-Neuter-Return (SNR), high-quality, high-volume spay and neuter, microchipping, anti-declawing legislation, and any program that best serves the interests of cats.

Our website is www.alleycat.org, and we are active on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. 

SOURCE Alley Cat Allies