Popular Twitch streamer Alinity Divine is facing criticism from animal rights advocates and Twitter users alike after throwing her cat over her shoulder and onto the ground during a livestream.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and the Saskatoon Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) tweeted about the incident, calling for the removal of Divine from Twitch. The Saskatoon SPCA announced that its animal protection department is currently conducting a formal investigation.
“A formal cruelty complaint regarding this matter has been filed with our Animal Protection department and is currently under investigation,” the Saskatoon SPCA wrote on Friday.
A formal cruelty complaint regarding this matter has been filed with our Animal Protection department and is currently under investigation. If you have any further details, you can assist our Officers & add to the file be reporting here: https://t.co/72OVF5Puii. Thank you! #yxe
— Saskatoon SPCA (@SaskatoonSPCA) July 19, 2019
Update 6:30pm CT, July 20: PETA Senior Director Stephanie Bell told the Daily Dot that PETA supports Saskatoon SPCA’s investigation.
“The videos of Alinity abusing her cat are disturbing and warrant her removal from the platform. Animals rely on us to protect them,” Bell wrote in a statement. “[PETA] urges everyone to report incidents of cruelty to animals whenever they are witnessed.”
On Friday, PETA posted a clip of Divine throwing her cat, along with its response–leading PETA to trend on Twitter.
ATTENTION: @TwitchSupport,
— PETA (@peta) July 19, 2019
Take a stand for cats & please remove Alinity from @Twitch immediately. She is using the platform to post animal abuse, which sends a dangerous message to anyone watching her videos. Cats are not props to abuse for more views 🐱https://t.co/EsIsB5o6Tf
Many users shared that they actually agree with PETA for once and started sharing other controversial clips of the streamer. One of the old videos dredged up shows Divine spitting vodka into her cat’s mouth, which she wrote happened “well over a year ago” and was “a stupid thing to do.”
Divine also responded to the new accusations on Twitter. She apologized and said she understands concerns about her animals’ wellbeing.
“I also understand the desire to report me to pet authorities and encourage anyone to do so if they feel pets are being mistreated, by anyone, anywhere,” she tweeted.
I also understand the desire to report me to pet authorities and encourage anyone to do so if they feel pets are being mistreated, by anyone, anywhere. My animals are well loved, and live in a warm and caring home, and I will comply with any authority that seeks to validate this.
— Alinity (@Alinity) July 19, 2019
Twitch has not yet responded publicly to the animal abuse accusations.
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H/T Dexerto
