A video of a Greek man enticing a kitten with a piece of fish and then kicking it into the sea has sparked international outrage.
The man, identified via an Instagram story he posted, even joked with people who were outraged, saying that the fish cost him 50 euros.
One person responded that along with the 50,000 euro fine he faces, the incident will now cost him 50,050.
The video showed three people dining outdoors at a seaside restaurant in a village on the island of Evia.
Two kittens approached, asking for food. One of the group dangled a small fish in front of one of the kittens, enticing it to come closer, and when it did kicked it into the shallow waters below — as a woman was heard laughing. The second kitten escaped.
If charged and convicted of animal abuse, the suspect faces a sentence of up to 10 years in prison and a maximum 50,000-euro ($52,000) fine.
The kitten was rescued and taken to a local vet for examination and was found to be unharmed by the incident.
The incident went viral on Greek social media and received coverage from publications throughout the world, with shame showered on the perpetrator.
“Violence against animals is unacceptable,” Greek Interior Minister Takis Theodorikakos said in a Tweet, also congratulating Greek police for arresting the man.
Click here to watch the video
