A Chicago man accused of filming himself while torturing a cat last February may be in Memphis looking for other animals.
Facebook posts from rescue groups and others allege Leon Teague was spotted in Southaven and Millington in search of other animals.
Local I-Team investigator Maria Hallas spoke with an employee at the Southaven City Animal Shelter who said she was almost certain she saw Teague.
The shelter worker said someone looking remarkably like Teague walked in the shelter this morning asking to adopt a dog.
The person did not provide an address, but according to two witnesses may have been driving a silver car.
That and other incidents were enough to put the Mid-South animal rights community on high alert.
We cannot show you the graphic Facebook video that shows Teague boiling water and throwing it on a stray cat.
“It makes me sick to my stomach. It literally will bring tears to your eyes,” said Betty, a local animal advocate.
Chicago police say Teague recorded and uploaded that video of himself. He has been indicted on charges of felony animal torture and misdemeanor animal cruelty.
Now people across the Mid-South claim Teague is here attempting to purchase or adopt animals.
Betty, who asked us to not disclose her last name, claims Teague approached her neighbor.
“She was crying and said, ‘Betty, I almost gave this guy my dogs.’ She had raised these dogs from puppies,” said Betty.
Betty says she then alerted Southaven Animal Shelter and an employee there said, “Oh my God, he was here earlier and I turned him away.”
That worker told me she believed Teague stopped by the shelter to adopt an animal but left.
And someone claiming to be Teague posted on Facebook, “I am driving around Millington now looking for strays” and “cats don’t have souls.”
Cindy Marx-Sanders of the United States Humane Society recommends animal owners not use the internet to sell their pets.
But for those who do she says, “Go to the persons home. Don’t just let them come to your home. Go to their home, see what it’s like, get vet references. There’s a sense of responsibility that all of us have to have.”
Marx-Sanders advised that anyone who believes they’ve spotted Teague to call police immediately.
We spoke with Chicago police. They could not confirm Teague’s whereabouts. As for the cat named Driver, our affiliate station in Chicago reports he is improving.
