Video of man torturing cat goes viral; rescuers call for action, stricter laws

A chilling video has been making the rounds across various local animal rescue groups and social media accounts, showing a man burning the genitals of a stray cat in Sharjah.

- Laraib Anwer

The video has sent shock waves across the rescue community, who were quick to identify the location of the incident through the video, pinning it down to Noor Mosque near Buhairah Corniche.

The clip, seen by Khaleej Times, shows the man laughing while engaging in the act with a lighter, as a friend films him, during the evening hours. Khaleej Times has been unable to verify the origins of the video, but understands it was first posted on social media about three weeks ago.

Enraged rescuers have been sharing the video across social media, while also reaching out to Sharjah Police for help. The authority has since responded and is said to be investigating the matter, according to a Dubai-based cat rescuer Tasmiyah A, who told Khaleej Times that an officer contacted her about the video she posted on July 9.

"They contacted me through my social media account to ask for details," she said. "They asked me where the incident took place, when it happened and who the man in the video was. They said it was a serious matter that required further investigation and thanked me for my cooperation."

Khaleej Times has reached out to Sharjah Police for comment, which was still awaited at the time of publishing.