Never  in a million years did I think I would be on this topic again, but in another case of horrendous animal cruelty, a Bronx teen was arrested yesterday for throwing her ex-roommate’s kitten into the oven until it burned to death. From the NY Daily News:

“I hate cats,” Cheyenne Cherry, 17, allegedly told investigators when asked about the heartless crime.

She and an unidentified juvenile allegedly broke into Valerie Hernandez’s Tinton Ave. apartment on May 6 and trashed the place.

Then in a shocking act of animal abuse, they tossed the woman’s kitten, Tiger Lily, into the stove and cranked up the temperature, ASPCA assistant director Joe Pentangelo said.

The duo bolted from the apartment with DVDs and packages of noodles, Pentangelo said … “She didn’t want to hear the cat crying and scratching at the oven door.”

Firefighters found the female cat’s remains smoldering in the oven after neighbors complained of smoke coming from Hernandez’s apartment.

After being charged with aggravated cruelty to animals, burglary, arson, reckless endangerment and criminal mischief, Cherry was released into her mother’s custody.

Released? Cherry is 17 years old. She knew what she was doing. She should be in a jail cell or at least be forced to post bail.

This incident brings back some painful memories of a local case a few years ago where girls set a kitten on fire just for kicks. Little Adam, his ears and tail nearly burned off, ultimately survived. Tiger Lily unfortunately, did not.

This evening the New York State Assembly voted overwhelming for same-sex marriage 89-52.

Six Republicans crossed over to support the bill including Assemblymember Teresa Sayward, who spoke of her son before casting her vote. From Edge New York:

“The word marriage symbolizes love, commitment and family and why should my son and other sons and daughters around the state of New York [not] have the same opportunity to experience that same commitment, love and family that other heterosexual couples do,” Sayward said. “It’s time for us to not only reach in our hearts, but to do what we as elected officials in America have done all along and say we will not accept anything but equal rights.”

The bill will face a rocky road in the Senate where it will be difficult to muster the 32 votes necessary for passage. Sen. Ruben Diaz, Sr., [D-Bronx] is a vocal opponent in the bill, and is urging Hispanics and people of faith to protest May 17th against the measure.