A video involving a cat has sparked an animal cruelty investigation in Langford, B.C., but police say the online reaction has created a second concern: threats directed at the man at the centre of the investigation. West Shore RCMP say they received multiple reports about the same incident after the video circulated widely on social media. Officers went to a Langford apartment on Oct. 5 and found the cat inside. Cpl. Nancy Saggar, a media relations officer with West Shore RCMP, said the animal was walking around and appeared physically OK when officers arrived. The cat was hissing at police, which appeared to be a sign of emotional distress. CRD Animal Control took custody of the cat for further examination. Saggar said the animal has since been examined and there are no signs of physical injury. The cat remains in animal control’s care. Police identified the man seen in the video. Saggar said he co-operated with investigators and animal control and has agreed to give up any claim to the cat. RCMP are not releasing details about what is shown in the video because it forms part of the investigation. Police are now working to establish exactly what happened, including the circumstances surrounding the incident, whether the cat was injured and what the man’s intent may have been. “We have to go through and look at different factors of injury to the animal, what exactly took place, is there a reason behind it—all that,” Saggar said. While investigators work to establish what happened, police say the video has also led to threats against the man. Saggar said his name and home address were shared publicly online. “We strongly discourage the public from sharing personal information or attempting to engage in any form of vigilante justice,” Saggar said. She said those actions can create serious safety concerns and potentially interfere with the investigation. Police are also concerned about the impact of social media on the evidence they are trying to assess. Investigators need to determine whether material being circulated is genuine. Saggar said the growing ability to manipulate digital material, including through artificial intelligence, can make that process more difficult. “It just adds another layer of trying to figure out what evidence is real, hasn’t been altered, what comes from the original source, all of that,” she said. Police are asking anyone with additional video, photos or other information about the incident to provide it directly to investigators rather than posting it online. The investigation is ongoing and no charges have been laid yet.
