TAIPEI, Sept. 2 -- A university student in Taiwan was sentenced to 11 months in jail on Friday for killing three cats and seriously injuring another, according to a statement released by the Chiayi District Court.
The man Yin confessed to having dashed adopted cats on the ground in a fit of rage, according to the court.
The four cats were adopted by separately in September and October last year, but three were found dead after a period of two days to two weeks, according to the court.
Another cat, adopted by Yin on Sept. 29, were found to have sustained severe injuries about two weeks later, the court added.
The fate of the cats led animal shelter groups and the former carers of the cats to suspect that Yin, 21, had done this deliberately and filed a lawsuit against him .
Under the island's current laws, those found to have intentionally injured an animal and caused its death may face a maximum sentence of one year in prison and fines up to 1 million new Taiwan dollars (about 32,000 U.S. dollars).
