A Georgia Man Who Put a Cat Inside a Ferocious Dog's Cage Just to Watch it Die Will Spend Eight Years Behind Bars for the Cruel Act

An Athens man was recently sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to charges that he placed a cat in a dog’s cage to watch it be killed.

In addition to aggravated animal cruelty, 21-year-old Jahmal Anthony Swaby pleaded guilty to threatening a witness who had called police to report the cat was being killed at Swaby’s home on Conrad Drive. He also pleaded guilty to illegal possession of a firearm and theft by receiving stolen property.

Western Judicial Circuit Superior Court Chief Judge David Sweat on May 28 sentenced Swaby to eight years in prison and 12 years on probation. The sentencing order signed by the judge indicates that Swaby’s penalty did not result from a negotiated plea agreement.

Codefendant Trevaughn Miquan Thomas, 21, previously pleaded not guilty to animal cruelty charges. His case is still pending in Clarke County Superior Court. According to Athens-Clarke County police, Conrad Drive residents reported Sept. 30 that they were in their home and heard a cat in distress. Going outside to investigate, they told police, they saw the cat in a cage outside Swaby’s and Thomas’ home being chased around by a dog.

One of the witnesses described the cat as “running around inside the dog cage screaming for its life,” according to police, and said Swaby and Thomas were urging the dog to “get it.” The suspects reportedly laughed each time a witness yelled for them to stop.

One of the witnesses said that after calling 911, she saw the cat was “running for its life while injured,” according to police. Police said when officers arrived the cat was dead and the dog was still biting the carcass. One officer noted in an incident report that the caged dog appeared to be “angry” and “was biting and jumping towards me.”

The officer further noted that there were several other young cats in the yard that appeared to have come from the same litter of kittens.

According to police, one of the witnesses reported that when Swaby later walked past her home, he pointed two fingers “similar in shape of a gun.” The woman told police she believed Swaby meant to “threaten or intimidate her.”

During the subsequent investigation, police said Swaby was found to be in possession of a stolen revolver. He was not supposed to have firearms under the terms of his first-offender probation from a 2013 burglary conviction.

An Effort to Use a Fake, Life-Sized Orca to Scare Off Hundreds of Sea Lions Crowding Docks Off the Oregon Coast, Ended with the Fiberglass Creature Going Belly-Up

Portland, Oregon - An effort to use a fake, life-sized orca to scare off hundreds of sea lions crowding docks off the Oregon coast ended, at least temporarily, with the fiberglass creature belly-up after it was swamped by a passing ship.

Still, Port of Astoria Executive Director Jim Knight said the sea lions briefly "got deathly silent" when the orca sailed into view. That was just before it started listing and tipped over Thursday night.

Once the 32-foot killer whale replica is dried out and repaired, "There's a chance we'll do it again" Friday, Knight said.

Earlier Thursday, officials had to find a replacement motor for the fake orca — actually a boat with a driver inside — that belongs to a whale watching business. It was brought overland from Bellingham, Washington.

Sea lions have become a nuisance to Astoria and commercial fishermen because they damage docks, prevent boaters from using the docks and eat lots of salmon.

Knight took the day's adventure in stride, calling it "a learning experience."

Once equipped with the replacement motor, the fake orca "was going fairly well and then a cargo ship came by and its wake swamped the whale," he said. "Our crew from the port had to go rescue the operator so he didn't drown.

"You can't make this stuff up," he added.

He estimates 1,000 people showed up to watch, applauding as the bogus whale took to the water.

As for the sea lions, there may have been an effect beyond their brief silence. Knight said there were 400 to 500 sea lions Thursday morning and perhaps 200 by Thursday night, when the fake orca was tied up to the docks where they rest.

"They probably think it's dead now that it's belly up."

Knight wishes the orca had gotten a chance to play its recordings of real killer whale calls, especially the "call to dinner" — usually emitted in the wild after they kill a sea lion or seal.

The original plan called for the orca to be driven around in the waters near Astoria, free of charge to the port. It can also tow a smaller, 7-foot-long orca behind it.

In recent weeks, the Port of Astoria has tried creative ways to keep the animals away, including installing beach balls, colorful tape, chicken wire and electrified mats. Of those, Knight said the beach balls have been the least expensive solution with initially the best results.

"There's something about flashing, moving bright colors that (sea lions) don't like," he said. "They jumped off the docks."

He said the beach ball idea could be revived.

The sea lion population has increased dramatically in recent decades. The animals are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, but the law includes provisions allowing for deterrence of the sea lions to protect private property.

The Astoria sea lion population is dwindling at the moment as many of them follow the salmon migration north. However by mid-August, they'll be back in force, Knight said.

Coast Guardsmen Were Investigating a Suspicious Item Floating in a Known Drug Transit Zone: Ended Up Rescuing Two Large Sea Turtles Entangled in Fishing Line

Coast Guardsmen aboard the Cutter Stratton from Alameda, Calif. who were investigating a suspicious item floating in a known drug transit zone off the coast of Central America last month instead made a unique rescue.

Video released by the Coast Guard shows that instead of drugs, the crew found two large sea turtles entangled in fishing line and makeshift buoys.

"There was no question what we had to do," said Petty Officer 2nd Class Hylan Rousseau, the coxswain of Stratton's interceptor boat. "And no one spoke a word. We immediately moved in to rescue mode."

An officer-mounted camera captured the rescue operation. One of the turtles had line wrapped around its neck, which restricted its airway and caused apparent respiratory distress.

"We cut the first turtle free without much incident," said Chief Petty Officer Brian Milcetich, a member of the law enforcement team. "While we were freeing him, we could see the second, and much larger turtle, was quite literally choking to death. He had been trying so hard to free himself from the fishing line that he had cinched the line around his own neck."

After lifting the approximately 70-pound turtle aboard the boat, officers used a specialized pair of sheers normally used by emergency medical technicians to sever the line. The video shows the turtle spew out water and take a deep breath once the line was removed from its neck.

"Everyone was elated," said Milcetich. "As you see in the video, he (the turtle) didn't stick around to celebrate."

The second turtle jumped back into water and swam away.

"It's another perfect example of the Coast Guard's ability to quickly adapt to different missions," said Petty Officer 3rd Class Jerry Renfroe.

Here Are Some Specific Regimens for People Allergic to Cats to Follow to Help Alleviate Their Symptoms

Itchy eyes, itchy noses and sneezing are never pleasant. And when it's because of a cat, well … that’s worst of all. If you are allergic to cats and decide to get one, then you’ll be happy to learn most people tend to build up a tolerance to the allergens found in the cat’s dander and saliva. There are also specific regimens allergic people can follow, as well as medication to help alleviate their symptoms.

But if one of your loved ones is allergic to cats and they are not helped by medication, what can you do? Other than replacing your loved ones (this is not usually recommended), there are some ways to reduce the effects of allergens in your home.

Clean, clean, clean. People don’t understand how much of a difference a cat's daily grooming and a thorough house sweeping can make. Keep the surfaces and floors as fur-free as possible, and the reactions to the cat’s allergens should also diminish. Floors and carpets can especially be a haven for the cat's hair and dander, so vacuum them often and take the rugs out for a cleaning -- preferably more than once every spring.

Another way to reduce the effect of cat allergens is to try (emphasis on "try") and bathe the cat every four to six weeks using a cat shampoo. This will help remove the dander buildup, extra hair, and saliva, which contains a natural deodorant and cleansing agent that causes allergic reactions. Rinsing the cat is important and may prove difficult, as most cats don't like being in water. Combine that with its claws and agility, and you may be in some emergency room type of trouble. But seriously, have a trusted friend or family member sponge bathe the cat while you hold it down.

An air purifier can sometimes be a great weapon against allergens. It will help remove impurities from the environment and although more expensive, a commercial purifier usually works better than a regular one. Routinely brushing the cat's hair will also reduce the amount of fur (and thus dander) floating in the air.

While not always practical, going to a doctor for an allergic exam can be advantageous. As there are many household items which can initiate an allergic reaction, this test will help sort out the underlying cause(s). It is more of a trial and error type of test, but can work wonders at determining the allergic agents quickly.

Using a combination of these methods -- or even all of them -- should greatly reduce the amount of allergens in the air, and hopefully make your home a sniffles-free zone. Good luck. Hopefully you and your family will be able to hug and kiss your kitty cat soon.