Discovery near a forest path
The owner had been searching unsuccessfully for the cat since Friday, police said. On Saturday evening, she was notified that someone who had joined the search had found it dead. She then reported the incident to police.
The cat was hanging from a metal frame beside a forest path in the Talstraße area of Kirnbach, a district of Wolfach, not far from the owner's home.
Autopsy to clarify how the cat died
An autopsy at the Tierhygienisches Institut is intended to determine the cause of death. Police also want to establish whether the cat was alive when it was hanged or had already died, and whether it had been harmed beforehand.
Police said they have no findings yet about the circumstances, including whether the incident might involve a personal matter. The department's "Gewerbe/Umwelt" unit is investigating a suspected violation of the German Animal Welfare Act.
Under Section 17 of the act, killing a vertebrate without reasonable cause or inflicting substantial pain or suffering on it can carry a penalty of up to three years in prison or a fine. Courts may also prohibit offenders from keeping animals in the future.
Anyone who noticed suspicious activity or has information about the incident is asked to contact the Haslach police station, Polizeirevier Haslach.
