The recently elected head of the National Rifle Association was the president of his fraternity when he and four brothers allegedly tortured and killed their house cat because it wasn't using its litter box.
Doug Hamlin, who was elected CEO and executive VP of the gun rights advocacy group earlier this year, was an undergraduate at the University of Michigan and president of Alpha Delta Phi fraternity in 1979 when he and four other members got upset with their house cat, BK, for not using his litter box.
As punishment, they reportedly dismembered the cat by chopping off its paws, strung it up, and set it on fire.
The cat's tormentors were charged with a misdemeanor animal cruelty charge but pleaded no contest, according to The Guardian. The charge was expunged from their records after they completed 200 hours of animal-related community service.
The brothers were also expelled from their fraternity. As the fraternity's president, the judge spoke directly to Hamlin during the court proceeding to say he could have prevented the "unconscionable and heinous" crime.
At the time, students and animal rights activists were so disturbed by the case that they wore buttons and armbands in memory of the tortured house cat, The Guardian reported.
Social media users were equally distraught by the story, with some even calling for Hamlin's resignation "for sadistic animal cruelty."
not only should NRA immediately fire pos doug hamlin for sadistic animal cruelty, all the other members of frat who participated should be revealed. Would love to see what careers they made for themselves with such sociopathic behavior.
— kiyoshi (@kiyoshiso) October 15, 2024
Hey @NRA are you nuts? Doug Hamlin has a screw loose somewhere. I don't care if his torture and killing of a cat was 244 years ago. GET RID OF HIM.
— QueenRobina (@IrishKevinsKeys) October 15, 2024
NRA CEO Doug Hamlin tortured frat house cat to death by cutting off paws, setting it on fire. All involved in this need to be locked away just as if they tortured and murdered a human. I'm pro 2A but this guy needs to go now. https://t.co/y0HYQbaF0D
— Mike Ponti (@PontiMike) October 15, 2024
Please put out a statement about your leader #doughamlin torturing a cat and why you think this piece of human excrement should be the face of responsible gun ownership. Oh right, you have no problem with kids getting murdered in school. Seems on brand.
— Amyloo 121 (@amyloo121) October 15, 2024
