Brothers accused of killing 20 cats

Two Jackson County brothers are being accused of animal cruelty after allegedly killing more than 20 cats.

According to reports from the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department, the incident started with a report on Jan. 9th about an argument between a neighbor and 28-year-old Gavin and Garth Goens of Vallonia who allegedly taunted the woman, saying her cats were dead.

Deputies visited the property on South Main Street and found numerous wire traps containing bait on the property. At first, the two said that they were trapping and killing feral cats, but also admitted that cats matching the neighbors’ pet descriptions had also been caught and killed. They said that after capturing the animals, they were shooting them in the head and then burying them on their property.

The Goens were arrested last week on charges of animal cruelty, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Sheriff Rick Meyer said that reports of animal cruelty are taken very seriously and no one has a right to kill or harm a neighbor’s pet.