In a world increasingly intolerant of animal cruelty, a single act that appears to cause discomfort to a creature can stir a significant amount of outrage. Indeed, the mere thought of causing harm or distress to a defenseless creature is unbearable to most of us. Nevertheless, stark reminders occasionally crop up, emphasizing the pressing need for continued attention towards our treatment of animals. One such incident involving a woman, her neighbor’s son, and her cat grabbed the internet’s interest, leading to heated discussions on social media.
Shannon Cooper brought the spotlight onto herself when she disclosed that her peculiar reprisal to her neighbor’s child, who had poured water on her cat, involved reciprocating in kind – dousing the child with water. While the act of the child may not be considered severe animal cruelty, Shannon was quite clearly upset by it. Her unique form of retaliation initiated a vigorous debate online, with parties quite divided on the appropriateness of her response.
In her initial online post on a social media platform, Shannon candidly wrote, “My 10-year-old neighbour just threw a cup of water over my cat who was sitting on the fence minding his own business and laughed, so I threw a basin of water over him from the window and now his dad is at my door going mental, but I don’t see the problem, don’t touch my cat.”
Her relentless defence of her cat earned her several supporters, with comments such as “Someone messes with my cat, they will be dealing with me,” and, “Just goes to show you that if you don’t teach your kids respect, somebody else will!” swiftly appearing on her post.
A torrent of similar sentiments soon followed, with one parent admitting that she would have been fine if Shannon had pelted her sons with water for similar behaviour. Another supporter declared, “I had neighbours kick my ass when I was little. Water… I wish. Parents have grown a little soft to [the] principal. Sounds almost like you continued the game. All fair in my book. Actually, a good lesson for the kid. Actions have consequences. Some more severe than others.”
However, disapproval and criticism also flowed in with a slew of comments lamenting Shannon’s supposedly immature handling of the situation. Critics remarked on the need for parents to discipline their own children and questioned the appropriateness of an adult reacting like a 10-year-old. Some warned of the adverse effects such an incident could have on a child in their formative years.
In the wake of the clash of opinions, Shannon assured everyone that no lingering hostilities existed with her neighbors. Sharing a follow-up message, she said, “People are so mad over this! The kid and his dad were laughing about it today, we are friends (also might I add the dad never knew what his son [had] done, which is why he was mad, to begin with), also the kid is 13; he really looks 10.”
The incident raises interesting questions – what do you think of Shannon’s unorthodox counteraction? Could she have handled it better or was it a justified reaction? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.
