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Kern County Man Suspected of Killing Stray Cats and Eating Them
A Kern County man is facing charges after being accused of killing stray cats in his neighborhood and eating them.
This week residents in Oildale (an area just outside Bakersfield) heard suspicious noises coming from the home of Jason Wilmert, 35, according to KBAK a local CBS affiliate. Now Wilmert is facing charges for animal cruelty and for eating animals that are commonly kept as pets or companions.
Neighbor Joe Nuno told KBAK that he heard cats screaming so loudly one day that he came outside to check to see what was going on. He said the noise was coming from Wilmert's home. He and other neighbors also noticed Wilmert would light fires in his backyard.
"He's cooking. He's got a little burner going," Nuno told KBAK. It smelled horrible, like "awful meat."
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Wilmert's next-door-neighbor allegedly saw him skinning cats and ended up being the one reporting him. Kern County Sheriff's deputies went door-to-door asking if any neighbors noticed that their pets were missing. None were reported. Investigators believe Wilmert targeted strays.
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
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Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
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