The Saskatoon SPCA says it’s investigating an animal cruelty complaint against a local video game streamer who appears to pick up and throw a cat behind her during a recent livestream.
Executive director Patricia Cameron declined to comment on that specific incident but told CTV News that people react strongly any time there is an incident of potential animal neglect, abuse or cruelty.
"Saskatoon is a very animal-friendly community and I think you'll find that across our country, that people just will not tolerate that and they get very upset."
In a video snippet posted on Thursday, Natalia Mogollon, who streams under the handle Alinity on Twitch, appears to pick up her cat Milo from beneath the camera frame and tosses the animal over her shoulders.
The original video has been viewed more than 6.57 million times and, by Friday, several copycat videos had garnered hundreds of thousands of views of their own.
The videos have also racked up thousands of critical comments, threats and calls for her removal from Twitch. The incident even became a moment on Twitter.
One person tweeted, “if you ‘game so hard’ that you toss animals without any thought, it's time to stop gaming or stop owning animals.”
Alinity took to Twitter on Friday to apologize and explain her actions.
“Hey everyone, I understand the concern and I am sorry for my lapses in judgement. Shouldn't have gotten frustrated with Milo, but I dropped him on the floor behind my chair. I'm not that strong.”
Cameron cautions against throwing a cat, as it's not true they always land upright, she said.
The SPCA enforces the provincial animal protection act, which makes it against the law to put or allow an animal to be in distress – but that term has a particular legal definition and not every mean-spirited or irresponsible act qualifies, she said.
With files from Jeremiah Rodriguez
