On Oct. 2, law enforcement arrested a man in Gainesville, Florida, on the grounds of poisoning two of his neighbor’s felines. This disturbing act of animal cruelty comes after the man made direct threats to kill the cats the day prior.
Upon returning home that day, Jason and Tyanna Ceglia, aged 28 and 26 respectively, discovered their cat Oreo lifeless in front of their house. Meanwhile, their other cat, Dakota, was critically unwell.
Arrest and charges against Gainesville man in alleged cat poisoning case
Terry Guider, a 46-year-old resident of Gainesville, was arrested just over a week following the reported incident. As per The Independent Florida Alligator, Guider claimed that he poisoned the cats due to their intrusion into his yard and subsequent damage to his vehicle, as detailed in an arrest report from the Gainesville Police Department.
Court records indicate that authorities have formally charged Guider with felony animal cruelty. He is currently in custody at the Alachua County Jail. Notably, no bail has been established at this time.
On Oct. 1, Guider visited his neighbors’ residence and communicated through their Ring camera system. According to the arrest report, he made a threat, saying, “I will kill your cats if they come on my property again.”
At the time of the incident, the couple was not present; however, a friend who was looking after their cats was. Guider engaged in a heated exchange with Jason and Tyanna’s friend. Following this brief altercation, Tyanna, using the Ring camera, requested that Guider vacate their yard, which he subsequently did, as detailed in the arrest report.
Tyanna stated that she had to repeatedly request for Guider to leave the premises. Guider then deliberately poured antifreeze into a container of cat food, placing it in his yard. This action resulted in the poisoning of the two cats — Oreo and Dakota — when they consumed the contaminated food.
Cat autopsy reveals ‘ethylene glycol poisoning’ as cause of death
An autopsy was conducted on Oreo’s body at the UF Animal Hospital on Oct. 3. The findings revealed the presence of ethylene glycol — a common component of antifreeze, as stated in the arrest report. What’s more, Tyanna disclosed that Dakota — the other cat — suffered from kidney failure and had to be euthanized.
Shockingly, Guider openly confessed to the authorities that he would harm the felines again. He further went on to mention that his brother had suggested putting antifreeze in the cats’ food.
It is disturbing and unacceptable that someone would intentionally harm innocent animals in such a cruel way. The admission from Guider that he would do it again is deeply concerning and highlights the need for stronger laws and punishments for animal cruelty.
