Cat Kicker Kurt Zouma Gets Punished With Hefty Fine for Animal Cruelty: Full Details

Premier League ace Kurt Zouma will pay a fine of more than $330,000, and his pet cats have been taken away after videos of him surfaced kicking and slapping the animals.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) released a statement on Wednesday that said the man's two cats were already in their care. They said that the focus of the decision was the well-being of the animals.

Animal Cruelty

The largest animal welfare charity in the UK said that Zouma's cats were taken for a check-up at the veterinarian and will be left in their care during the investigations. Authorities said that they were already working on the case even before videos of the athlete were spread on social media.

After the video's release and being shared by his brother Yoan on Snapchat, the former Chelsea defender issued an apology for his actions. West Ham is the one that issued the fine and will equal two weeks' worth of wages for the center-back. The money will go towards paying for animal welfare charities, as per Mirror.

The video shows the 27-year-old Zouma beating his pet at his $2.7 million mansion and was filmed by his brother. In the footage, the West Ham defender could be seen lifting one of the cats up before dropping it and kicking it across the kitchen floor.

Zouma then proceeds to chase the animal around his dining room in front of a child while Yoan could be heard laughing behind the camera. The French soccer player then throws a pair of designer showers at his pet while it tries to escape.

The Sun reported that in the last footage, Zouma is seen forcefully slapping his cat in the face and out of the child's arms. Despite the horrifying acts, the Met Police said they would not be launching a probe into the West Ham athlete's treatment of his pets.

Continued Investigations

More than 150,000 people have signed an online petition on Change.org since Zouma's video went viral. It was set up by Anti Animal Abuse and is calling for the West Ham soccer player to be prosecuted amid growing public criticism.

It was found that West Ham supported the RSPCA's investigation into the issue and is cooperating with the animal welfare charity. They added that Zouma was extremely remorseful for his actions and understood the incident's depth of feeling.

The West Ham United Supporters' Trust said that Zouma should be required to spend some time with the RSPCA to see the consequences of his horrific actions. Chris Packham, a conservationist, said that the decision to put Zouma against the Hornets was an "absolute disgrace."

On the other hand, former England captain Gary Lineker called it a "tone-deaf decision," and London Mayor Sadiq Khan described the issue as "despicable." Furthermore, on Wednesday afternoon, Adidas, the official supplier of personal kits to Zouma, confirmed it had broken its ties with the West Ham player and terminated their contract, Independent reported.

Tags

Animal cruelty