Video of Woman Dumping Cat in Trash Bin Goes Viral

by Stephanie Feldstein · 2010-08-25 10:21:00 UTC
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A woman in Coventry, England was strolling down the street when she came upon a cat. She stopped to pet the stray. Seems like a normal enough scene. But then she looked around, opened a nearby garbage can, scruffed the cat and unceremoniously dumped her in the bin. The woman continued her stroll, and the cat was stuck in the garbage can for 15 hours until her owners found her.

It was all caught by the owners' security camera. When Stephanie and Darryl Andrews-Mann watched the footage, they were shocked to see a middle-aged bank employee, not some teens or drunks, responsible for their cat's imprisonment. They posted the video online (below) to get help identifying the woman. She was not only identified as 50-year-old Mary Bale, but as the video spread, several Facebook groups, some with thousands of members, sprung up demanding justice for her actions. After reading some of the comments calling for retribution, Mary requested police protection at her home.

Mary's mom came to her defense: "Mary said she just didn't know what possessed her, or what came over her, it's just very strange because she cannot explain her actions at all ... She absolutely adores cats, she's an animal lover, it just doesn't make sense."

But Mary told the Sun, "I really don't see what everyone is getting so excited about — it's just a cat. I don't know what came over me, but I suddenly thought it would be funny to put it in the wheelie bin, which was right beside me." Where the cat was then stuck without food or water for 15 hours and only rescued then when her owners heard her cries. Yeah, hilarious.

Sorry, Mary's mom, but anyone who 1) locks a cat in a trash can, 2) freely admits that she "thought it would be funny," and 3) brushes it off as "just a cat," is not someone who "adores cats," no matter what else she's going through in life. Mary Bale needs to be treated like anyone else who has shown a clear disregard for the welfare of animals.

Mary is under investigation by the RSPCA. The local police have confirmed that they are monitoring a crowd that's been gathering outside her house; they encourage outraged citizens to let the investigators do their job and not to resort to street justice.

Lola, the four-year-old cat, was uninjured and is recovering from her ordeal.

Stephanie Feldstein is a Change.org Editor who has been part of the animal welfare and rescue community for over a decade, and most recently worked for an environmental organization.

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