West Ham player faces backlash over pet cat abuse
British Police have confirmed they are liaising with the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to investigate West Ham player Kurt Zouma's abuse of his pet cat.
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West Ham player Kurt Zouma
More than 110,000 people have signed an online petition calling for West Ham player Kurt Zouma to be prosecuted as part of a growing backlash over his abuse of his pet cat.
The French player has been widely condemned after a video emerged of him dropping, kicking, and slapping the animal.
Police have confirmed they are liaising with the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) as part of "urgent inquiries" into the case.
A video obtained by The Sun allegedly shows footballer Kurt Zouma kicking and hitting his cat.
— Emily Hewertson 🇬🇧 (@emilyhewertson) February 7, 2022
It’s absolutely disgusting and disturbing footage. I hope he is prosecuted for animal cruelty. pic.twitter.com/3K7xMeHh5j
West Ham said they "unreservedly condemn" the actions of Zouma, who apologized for his actions but was still selected by manager David Moyes for Tuesday's 1-0 win over Watford at the London Stadium.
A petition on Change.org reads, "In the UK we have laws against the abuse of animals, laws which should be applicable to everyone rich or poor, famous or not."
The petition called on the Metropolitan Police and RSPCA to "carry out an urgent investigation and prosecute the perpetrators of this heinous act."
For its part, West Ham sponsor Experience Kissimmee said that it "will be evaluating our relationship and sponsorship with the club" in light of the video.
Moyes, who insisted he was an "animal lover", was criticized for selecting Zouma to play on Tuesday, but he said he had to do what was right for his club.
The defender was booed by Watford supporters, with some West Ham fans joining the trend.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan told Sky News that Zouma should be prosecuted, saying he should have been dropped from the team.
The RSPCA condemned the "very upsetting" video after it surfaced online and will be leading the investigation and cooperating with Essex Police.
"We cannot comment further at this time, but we're grateful to everyone who has brought this to our attention," the RSPCA noted in a statement.
