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Daily Record
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Ryan Carroll

Kurt Zouma fined £250,000 and has cats removed by RSPCA after Snapchat video appears online

Kurt Zouma has been fined £250,000 and had his two cats taken into the care of the RSCPA after a video of the footballer kicking one of the animals appeared online.

The animal welfare charity has announced they have taken the animals to be checked by a vet and they will remain in their care while an investigation continues.

The West Ham defender has been widely condemned after a video emerged of him dropping, kicking and slapping his pet cat.

Former Chelsea defender Zouma issued an apology after the video went viral after it was filmed by his brother on Snapchat.

The RSPCA swiftly slammed the "very upsetting" video after it surfaced online and will be leading an investigation while co-operating with Essex Police.

More than 150,000 people have signed an online petition on Change.org, started by Anti Animal Abuse, calling for Zouma to be prosecuted amid a growing public backlash.

Despite that Zouma started and played a full match for the Hammers against Watford in the Premier League on Tuesday night.

The defender was loudly booed by both sets of supporters during the game.

An RSPCA spokesperson said: "The two cats are now in RSPCA care. Our priority is and has always been the wellbeing of these cats.

"They've been taken for a check-up at a vets and then will remain in our care while the investigation continues.

"We're grateful to everyone who expressed their concern for these cats. We were dealing with this issue before the video went viral online and are leading the investigation.

"We continue to investigate so we cannot comment further at this time."

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