Teen pleads no contest to cat killing Teen pleads no contest to cat killing (June 17, 2005)

Sentenced to 500 hours of service with animals, animal lovers outraged
by Rebecca Guyon

John Van De Roovaart, 18, pleaded no contest to felony animal cruelty Wednesday in connection with a case earlier this year in which an 18-year-old house cat was tortured and killed.

During a pre-trial hearing at the Pleasanton Superior Court, Van De Roovaart, a Village High School student who graduated Tuesday, was sentenced to serve 90 days in the county jail, which will instead be served as 500 hours of community service with an animal organization.

Twenty-five upset citizens wearing a drawing of a cat on their shirts attended the sentencing as did representatives for two area humane organizations.

"We're disappointed that the DA didn't go for the maximum sentence," said Denies Leddon, a board member for Tri-Valley Animal Rescue. "This kind of cruelty leads to other violence."

"I would doubt any respectable animal welfare organization would let him volunteer with them," said David Stegman, executive director of the Valley Humane Society. "I would go to any agency he is assigned to and tell them that they can't put their animals at risk for one hour, let alone 500 hours. It's ridiculous."

Kathy Witherell, a concerned citizen who also works at the Valley Humane Society, said it was like sending a pedophile to do his community service at a daycare center.

"This falls short of true justice," Stegman added. "But he's not getting away with it because he is in the public eye."

Two other teens, both 17, were also involved with the incident, investigators said, but their names cannot be released due to their age.

Van De Roovaart will be put on felony probation for five years. The sentence will not be official until July 15 when the case will be heard at the Hayward Superior Court.

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