Three Comcast contract workers were arrested when a witness discovered that a kitten had been spray-painted and nearly kicked to death, ABC 4 in West Valley, Utah reports. Jesus Villalovos was arrested for animal cruelty and obstruction of justice and 2 other men were cited with class B misdemeanors. The men were working in the area as contractors for Comcast around the time of the incident. Details, inside…
The article says,
A three-month-old gray tabby kitten was tortured. Mike Merrill, the only witness to the crime, said, “There was four people spray painting and kicking it from side to side.”
When Merrill got to the kitten, he said it looked lifeless. He said, “Basically seemed like it was almost dead…spray painted all the way down its back.”
Animal Control officers rushed the kitten to a veterinarian with concerns of internal injuries and severe shock.
Police said the men accused of spray painting and kicking the kitten are contract workers for Comcast. The cable company released a statement saying, “We are outraged and deeply saddened by this incident. We are fully cooperating with police and will take appropriate action once we have all the facts.”
Jesus Villalovos was arrested on charges of animal cruelty and obstruction of justice. Police said Villalovos spray painted the cat and lied to them.
Two other men were cited with class B misdemeanors.
The good news is that the kitten will be just fine. Merrill said if an owner doesn’t claim the cat in the next three days, he will adopt it.
We are speechless, Comcast. We suppose when there are no little girls to run over, you resort to torturing a kitten. Bravo.
West Valley man arrested for spray painting kitten [ABC 4] (Thanks to Austin!)
(Photo: ABC 4)
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@crackle: Not that I necessarily agree with the angry reply, but this post made me L-O-L.
This is the most horrible story I’ve read on here in a while. It makes me want to cry.
I blame the kitten. Tabby cats are notorious for scratching and biting.
The cat must have deserved it.
Blaming this on Comcast is about as rational as blaming 9/11 on Muslims.
I thought that user “Comcastanon” would be in here defending them…
(Comcast, not the kitten-kickers)
BREAKING NEWS, someone does something bad and breaks the law. Oh yeah, they have a job and work for a company!
I’m no fan of comcast (believe me.. I’ve happily switched to DSL recently and couldn’t be happier!)… but how does this get directed at comcast?
I honestly dont see, and if someone could enlighten me I’d appreciate it. Is it common practice for corporations to be responsible for everything their employees do–even if its completely un-related to the job–as long as they’re on the clock?
I could understand the headline, “comcast employees kick kitten to death”… but the, “We are speechless, Comcast. We suppose when there are no little girls to run over, you resort to torturing a kitten. Bravo.” at the end is a bit confusing to me.. it’s like this was comcast’s decision and not that of the men responsible…
Agreeing with all the This Ain’t Comcast’s Fault comments.
Would like to know these guys’ thoughts on being spray painted and beaten themselves.
In high school I remember listening to a local punk band band named “Kick a Kitten for Christ”. Looks like I finally figured out where their 4 piece band ended up.
And can The Consumerist please leave these stories for Monday and not bum me out so much right before the weekend? Danka.
@muffinpan: Do you have no sense of humor? Recognize a joke when you see one.
@B: I’m not done painting and kicking him yet.
@pengie: They were, in fact, on the clock working for Comcast at the time of the incident.
href=”#c5950255″>crackle:
I have to disagree here. When you are “on the clock” for an organization – you do completely represent that organization – regardless of being a FTE or contractor.
While I understand that Comcast didn’t order this doosh bag to directly abuse an animal. They are still responsible for the actions of their employees and contractors during normal working hours.
While they didn’t directly commit this crime, they also clearly did nothing to prevent it. IE hiring/screening process, background checks etc… They are sending these people out to our HOMES. If someone will do that to an animal – what does that say about what they are capable of with your wife/GF/child?
You better Friggin’ believe they are responsible by NOT working to weed these people out and caring only about the bottom line.
I, personally, will not let my wife be home alone whenever we have anything done to our home. It only takes one bad incident to change your life forever.
A three-month-old old kitten is the size of a puff-ball.
Geezus, words can’t describe.
@Ben Popken: Er, in their bid request did it include a sub clause for d-bags who like to spray paint kitties, and a bonus for kicking the crap out of them? Please submit your sealed bid, with favorite form of animal torture to Comcast, 123 Fake Street, box 000, Notown, NY, 99999-5555.
This type of behavior might be screened if there’s a BG check, but that’s no guarantee. How often are people who are cruel to animals caught and prosecuted – JV records get sealed. I could see a consumerist story if Comcast hired these guys back, or after such a crime was committed. It doesn’t look like they’re going to stand up for these jerks.
And for the record, I’d gladly give a years salary for 10 minutes alone with the waist of air that comitted this crime and all his gutless little assclown buddies that supported it.
@chemmy: in other words, you are no better than they are.
Sickos!
@kittenfoo: i think your recommendation shows that you are more evil than they are.
@Disturbedearth: Another reference to ‘no background checks’. Did you work for Comcast as a contractor once and was told one was not required?
@MissPeacock: no its not. perhaps this world would be a much better place if people got worked up with the things that happen to their fellow humans a little bit more. You can start with Dafur, the China earthquake, Burma, Zimbabwe, etc. Let us know what you have done to help a child there or at least what you have done to pressure your government to do more.
@A.W.E.S.O.M.-O: Anyone that injurs or inflicts pain up something or someone that is unable to defend themselves has obvious psychological problems, and should be forcefully detained and reformed.
@mikelotus: So just because there are lots of tragedies everywhere, we’re not allowed to get worked up about a defenseless animal being kicked around? I don’t care how many 3rd world children you donate money to; if you are okay with the preventable abuse of any creature that is capable of feeling pain, you should turn in your human race membership card.
@crackle: Actually yes – they were a client of mine in the past. They are a lot better at collecting their money than they are at paying their bills.
@Disturbedearth: Then you must be a potential criminal, if you worked for Comcast.
@Disturbedearth: If you’re only going for 10 minutes, give me the other 23h 50m. Kicking a kitten. Well 7+ years of constant absorption of torture (from Reichstag D.C. to the torture porn of Saw I-IV.
If my wife see’s this, she’s gonna want to go adopt another cat (we’ve got 4). Oy!
Could be worse, they had an installer here in Chicago who murdered a customer, and was still allowed to go to people’s homes to install cable.
Somewhat unsurprisingly, he did it again.
@mikelotus: Regardless of whether or not hurting an animal is ‘equal’ to hurting a child, the fact remains that the person who would perform such an act is clearly someone who needs reform of some kind, whether it be in a prison or a psychological facility. In the DSM-IV, behaviour like this is classified as Antisocial Personality Disorder, on the third axis of five for disordered brain function:
“Symptoms of antisocial personality disortder include:
-Tendency to violate the rights and boundaries of others (property, physical, sexual, emotional, legal)
-Aggressive, often violent behavior; prone to getting involved in fights
-Disregard for the safety of self or others
-Lack of remorse, related to hurting others”
If disordered behaviours are left untreated and undiagnosed, it has been the ‘norm’ that acts of violence like this (kitten beating) lead to more severe violent crimes. The fact of the matter here is that yes, there are horrifying ang gut-churning atrocities going on at a global level every day, but if we can prevent further violence within our country, then aren’t we doing good by ensuring that people like these three men receive psychological counselling, in the least, to prevent furture acts of violence?
Then again, with the justice system being the way it is, they’d likely serve a couple weeks, if any.
@crackle: LOL… Maybe. But they were a “Client” not an employer.
comcast is evil in this situation by NOT coming out saying that they will FIRE these people if they are guilty of these crimes. saying they’ll take “appropriate action” is corporate bullshit
@Ben Popken: I understand what you are trying to convey about the contracted labor, but it’s a very very thin line that connects those dots. I’ve been a consumerist reader for longer than I’ve been a commenter and I feel like you need a vacation. You just seem so out of touch and bitter compared to you a year ago. Lately here, I’ve been questioning weather the Consumerist is biased in the companies they condemn. I think any regular reader could probably pick your 5 most hated (for whatever reason you hate them) companies. This would be like saying it’s the banks fault that they got robbed on an inside job. There’s no way to know exactly who sick in the head someone is. Just two days ago they arrested a 70 year old man in my community for molesting a 12 year old boy he met at the mall. This man was a highly respected retired school principle. He owned a jewlry store in that mall. Not the sicko you probably imagined when you read the headline huh? You were probably visioning a crazy old cook that talks to himself and hands out lollipops. Makes you wonder at 70 years old, how long has he been doing this and getting away with it?
“Every time you order from Comcast, one of their Contractors kills a kitten”
They should at least name the kitten “Fios”.
Although comcast is not in any way to blame for the actions of these men, the fact remains their name is connected to this story and these men did represent Comcast during their daily work routines. You can’t say Comcast is completely off the hook here.
“We are outraged and deeply saddened by this incident. We are fully cooperating with police and will take appropriate action once we have all the facts.”
Why not make a pre-emptive strike and say “Effective immediately, we have terminated our business relationship with the contractor involved in this incident, We have absolutely zero tolerance for individuals who behave in this manner and will not allow them to continue representing our company.”
Not that Comcast’s public image isn’t already shot to hell, but this would help it a little.
Can’t we kick Jesus out of the country for this even if he is an American citizen?
I work for them, and OMFG that is horrible. A lot of us adopt these animals, and to know that our techs (or contractors, I dont know who they are) are doing this. Someone should spray paint them and kick them in the balls or something.
the same thing X10 should be done to them. Class b misdeameanor? bullshit
Oh yea, and im getting AT&T installed on sunday to replace my $160 comcast
Comcast has only a minor responsibility regarding this, mostly having to do with these contractors being representatives for the company. Comcast should be taking care of all expenses for the kitten.
In the end here, it is the people who are responsible, kicking around a kitten and spray painting it? There is no excuse for that, I do not even know what was going through these people’s heads when they decided to go and do it…
@AndyRogers: Ditto. I hate snakes, I know no greater fear but I can’t kill them and I don’t want other people to do it, either. I’m usually just happy running away.
I have an especially weak spot for cats.
There’s a special place in hell reserved for these guys.
I saw a squirrel flattened on the side of the road yesterday. Now I wonder if a Contractor in a Comcast truck ran it over on purpose…..
I hope Lou Dobbs doesnt see this because if so; I feel for undocumented Mexicans. Comcast deserves everything bad. I hate that people earn a living from them, thats the only reason I let them continue as a company.
This is terrible! I just don’t get how people do things like this…Comcast, maybe you should be a little more careful about who your contractors are.
@B: Thank you, I wasn’t sure if that had been stated or not.
I’m glad the kitten’s going to be okay.
There is one good thing about this case; animal cruelty was just made a felony offence in Utah so this guy certainly isn’t going to be hurting any more kitties for a long time.
I see a definate swing from “attack the victim” to “attack the messenger” going on here. Those of you who don’t like what Consumerist has to say, should go somewhere else.
@dry-roasted-peanuts: That is not a logical argument. Muslims do not have the ability to decide who else becomes Muslims, it’s a religion, not a company. They don’t have the power to weed out the bad apples who claim to be Muslims but endorse or promote killing.
Comcast, on the other hand, has complete control over who they hire as contractors and has the ability to hire better ones. Except that would cost them more money.
@humphrmi: or you could stfu and let people say what they want to say.
Comcast contractors?
So, when will they be sent back to Mexico?
As a kitten owner this broke my heart. I hate to threadjack, but it’s another good reason to keep your cats inside — you never know what kind of crazy animal-abusing people are out there.
@crackle:
yet another thoughtless, angry post.
I’m not a moderator. People can say what they want, and I can’t stop them. But I can say stfu. Just like you.