WARNING: This story contains graphic content
An American animal rights organization is urging a large chain of pet stores to discontinue its sales of live animals following the arrest of a Kelowna man accused of torturing and killing three hamsters.
Leighton Allen Labute, 20, was charged on May 25 with three counts of killing or injuring an animal and three counts of causing unnecessary pain or suffering to an animal, stemming from an alleged May 2019 incident.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) claims Labute purchased the hamsters at a PetSmart store.
A video posted to a YouTube account believed to belong to Labute around the time of the alleged incident, a PetSmart box and three hamsters are prominently displayed. The title is 香蕉视频直播�1 Kid 3 Hamsters.香蕉视频直播�
The description of the video simply reads 香蕉视频直播減in stabbed, drowned, microwaved,香蕉视频直播� though no such content is shown.
香蕉视频直播淭his man posted videos of himself tormenting and killing gentle hamsters he says he purchased at PetSmart, which will sell animals to anyone who can pay,香蕉视频直播� said PETA senior vice president Daphna Nachminovitch. 香蕉视频直播淧ETA is calling on PetSmart to help prevent acts of cruelty like this from happening again by ending its sale of animals.香蕉视频直播�
In a letter addressed to PetSmart CEO J.K. Symancyk, PETA asks the company to assess its practices and consider that the animals it sells are 香蕉视频直播渃ompletely vulnerable to the whims of anyone who has a few dollars to buy them.香蕉视频直播�
The 香蕉视频直播 has reached out to PetSmart for comment.
The YouTube account featuring the hamsters consists largely of violent claymation videos of anthropomorphic sculptures and dolls depicting gore and rape.
An Instagram account with over 7,000 followers, which includes Labute香蕉视频直播檚 first and last name in the bio, shows similar content. The first post appears to have been created on May 1, 2016.
A video of the alleged torture of animals is reported to have been posted on Reddit recently, leading to an RCMP investigation.
香蕉视频直播淭he funny thing about Reddit, it forces people to watch the things you do and ruins their day,香蕉视频直播� a Twitter account also believed to belong to Labute posted on May 4.
The Kelowna RCMP said they were informed of the video on May 14 and linked it to Labute after further investigation.
Labute was released after a bail hearing on May 25. He is scheduled to appear in court on Aug. 25 to consult with his counsel.
READ MORE: Suspected social media accounts of accused Kelowna hamster torturer emerge
READ MORE: Kelowna man charged with animal cruelty
Do you have something to add to this story, or something else we should report on? Email: michael.rodriguez@kelownacapnews.com
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