Who knew news in the past week concerning a River Parishes man receiving a five-year jail sentence following his violent stomping of a small dog would only be the second most horrifying act of animal cruelty in the region?

Rashard C. Poche, 37, of Killona pleaded guilty and was sentenced Aug. 6 to five years confinement following the death of a dog he purposely stomped.

That’s disgusting, but it wasn’t the worst.

The craziest news was reserved for Tuesday morning, when the Humane Society of Louisiana and Covington resident Becky Worthington shared details of the Worthington family’s murdered family pet.

Their four-legged loved one was a 2-year-old cat, “Charlie,” a particular favorite, Becky said, of the Worthingtons’ 8-year-old special needs daughter.

Unfortunately, Charlie was last seen alive around 10 p.m. Aug. 4, when he ventured outside. The next morning Charlie’s partial remains were found on a golf course.

His body had been cut in half with a sharp object and displayed so a horrified public would discover him. An attack by animals was ruled out, Humane Society officials said, since Charlie’s remains were found intact.

Humane Society of Louisiana Director Jeff Dorson said it appears this type of dismemberment, “literally the cutting or sawing of a cat in half, has been widely documented over the years.”

Becky Worthington and Jeff Dorson reported little cooperation from law enforcement.

“I would also like to use this tragedy to provide more resources, such as forensic technology, to our local animal control programs, to help them have the tools to properly investigate these cases and give them more police powers, so they can conduct a comprehensive investigation,” Worthington said.

Animal or not, this type of sport mutilation can’t be allowed to fester and grow, because of the negative impact it could have on local communities.

St. Charles Parish District Attorney Joel Chaisson II told L’OBSERVATEUR readers this week, when discussing the Killona case, studies show those who commit cruelty to animals are likely to be cruel to humans.