Man Found Guilty of Felony Animal Cruelty for Abusing Cat in Hamilton
Zhean Bai was convicted of felony animal cruelty after a cat he abused had to be euthanized
Hamilton, Ohio, Animal Cruelty, Zhean Bai, Cat Abuse
Hamilton: So, there’s this pretty shocking case that just wrapped up. A guy named Zhean Bai was found guilty of felony animal cruelty. This all started back in January when he abused a cat at an apartment complex.
It’s really sad because the poor cat, named Juliet, ended up having to be euthanized due to the injuries it suffered. Bai was charged with cruelty to a companion animal, which is a fifth-degree felony. He pleaded no contest, and the court didn’t take it lightly.
He got sentenced to 30 days in jail and a year of probation. Plus, he’s been living in the U.S. on a student visa for over ten years, and now he’s agreed to leave the country voluntarily. That’s a big deal!
There was a lot of back and forth in court, too. Bai’s lawyers tried to get the charge dismissed, arguing that the cat might not be considered a companion animal since it didn’t belong to anyone in the building. But the Ohio Supreme Court ruled that a cat or dog doesn’t need to be “kept” to be protected under the law.
It’s a tough situation all around, but at least there’s some justice for Juliet. It’s a reminder that we need to take animal cruelty seriously and protect our furry friends.