Veterinarian Kristen Lindsey gets a no-bill from jury for killing cat

(AVMA Facebook)

Veterinarian Kristen Lindsey killed a cat, posted it on her Facebook page, and will not be facing charges for it. Jury says they have not found enough evidence to charge the 31-year old Texas-based vet.

Kristen Lindsey caught the attention of animal lovers all over the world when a photo she herself posted on Facebook went viral earlier this year. In the photo taken by her mom, Lindsey was holding a cat with an arrow through the head and the caption says, "My first bow kill... lol. The only good feral tomcat is one with an arrow through it's head. Vet of the year award... gladly accepted."

Outrage from animal lovers and animal rights advocates broke out and there was a demand for the Austin's Police Department to make an arrest. The Austin Country Sheriff, however, insisted that an arrest cannot be made immediately as investigators have to prove when and where the incident took place. As these were not clearly established, an arrest or search warrant was not issued. Lindsey's Facebook post has also been deleted prior to official complaints.

The Austin County Sheriff also said they received a hearsay report that the veterinarian was only protecting her own pets from a "rabid stray cat." One Amy Hemsell, however, spoke with KHOU 11 claiming she is the pet's sitter and that the cat, named Tiger, is not feral. "He went missing at the time, and when I saw the picture in my heart I knew it was him. I'm hoping that [Lindsey] is punished to the fullest extent for animal cruelty," says Hemsell.

But amidst the public outcry and the statement from Tiger's alleged sitter, the Austin Country grand jury came up with a "no-bill" in the case, meaning all pieces of evidence have been examined and they have been found insufficient. As Huffington Post reports, The District Attorney's office pointed out that there was no way to prove that the cat in the picture was actually Tiger or that he was killed in an inhumane manner as the American Veterinary Medical Association acknowledges that a "bolt to the head" performed correctly is a humane way of letting an animal go.

Kirsten Lindsey had been fired from the Washington Animal Clinic, where she worked and the Texas Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners is still deciding on whether she will be suspended of her veterinary license or not.

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