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| Charity will trace 'mouse biter' | Charity will trace 'mouse biter' |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| An animal welfare group has said it is hopeful of tracing a man who can be seen on an internet website biting the head off a live pet mouse. | An animal welfare group has said it is hopeful of tracing a man who can be seen on an internet website biting the head off a live pet mouse. |
| About 2,000 people have viewed the incident on the YouTube site. | About 2,000 people have viewed the incident on the YouTube site. |
| The incident is believed to have happened at a party in the Turf Lodge area of west Belfast. | The incident is believed to have happened at a party in the Turf Lodge area of west Belfast. |
| "We've had a couple of leads which my staff will be running down today," an Ulster Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals spokesman said. | |
| Spokesman Stephen Philpott said: "If the USPCA in this instance can prove unnecessary suffering, which is the key phrase under the Welfare of Animal Act, we will certainly be taking it further." | |
| Mr Philpott said the organisation had already had a "great response" from the public after appealing for help to identify the man. | Mr Philpott said the organisation had already had a "great response" from the public after appealing for help to identify the man. |
| The two-minute video shows the man, referred to as Johnny, drinking from a can of beer before biting the head off the mouse and chewing it, egged on by other party-goers. | The two-minute video shows the man, referred to as Johnny, drinking from a can of beer before biting the head off the mouse and chewing it, egged on by other party-goers. |
| He then spits it out saying it is impossible to swallow. The man is heavily built, in his 20s, with short hair. | He then spits it out saying it is impossible to swallow. The man is heavily built, in his 20s, with short hair. |
| Mr Philpott said he was worried by the trend of people being recording carrying out acts of cruelty against animals. | Mr Philpott said he was worried by the trend of people being recording carrying out acts of cruelty against animals. |
| "We have become alarmed in the last year at how many of these incidents we have been asked to have a look at," he said. | "We have become alarmed in the last year at how many of these incidents we have been asked to have a look at," he said. |
| "Unfortunately, this is like a type of happy slapping against animals where people record themselves doing depraved things and then show that footage to the rest of their colleagues." | "Unfortunately, this is like a type of happy slapping against animals where people record themselves doing depraved things and then show that footage to the rest of their colleagues." |
| Mr Philpott said the acts being carried out were designed to be as shocking and "grotesque" as possible. | Mr Philpott said the acts being carried out were designed to be as shocking and "grotesque" as possible. |
| "Singling out a defenceless animal like this just simply to glorify yourself or publicise yourself just can't be done," he said. | "Singling out a defenceless animal like this just simply to glorify yourself or publicise yourself just can't be done," he said. |