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Italian Army officer faces jail for saving pregnant cat
The Local (Italy) ^ | 23 Dec 2013 17:20 GMT+01:00

Posted on 12/24/2013 7:07:22 PM PST by DeaconBenjamin

Italian politicians are set to debate the case of an Italian army officer, who is facing at least one year in jail after being prosecuted for saving the life of a pregnant cat while on duty in Kosovo.

Lieutenant Barbara Balanzoni, a medical officer who served at the Nato base in Kosovo, is accused of "gross insubordination" after violating a written order not to "approach or be approached by wild, stray or unaccompanied animals".

Lt Balanzoni, who has since returned to her home in Tuscany, rushed to the rescue of the stray cat in May 2012 after army staff raised concern about noises it was making. She intervened after the staff failed to reach the army veterinary officer, who was in Italy at the time.

The cat, later called Agata, gave birth in an army pavillion but got into difficulties with the final, stillborn kitten.

Lt Balanzoni told the UK's Guardian newspaper: “Far from disobeying orders, I was following military regulations, which state that, in the absence of a vet, the medical officer should intervene...If the cat had died, the entire area would have had to be disinfected. What is more, the surviving kittens could not have been fed. So they too would have died and created an even greater public health problem."

In the process of saving the cat, Lt Balanzoni was bitten - something she told Corriere della Sera was "just a scratch" - and had to receive a rabies jab.

The prosecution argues that rather than preventing a public health problem, she could have caused one.

The trial is set to begin at the Military Tribunal in Rome on February 7th, with the matter expected to be raised in parliament before then.

Lt Balanzoni has returned to her civilian job as an anaesthetist, but told Corriere della Sera that her dream is to work again for the army, "an insitution I love...like cats."

"I'm living a nightmare," she added.

"I hope justice takes its course and that action will be taken against those who brought me from the base to the court."


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Government
KEYWORDS: cats; europeanunion; italy; kittyping
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1 posted on 12/24/2013 7:07:22 PM PST by DeaconBenjamin
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To: Slings and Arrows

ping


2 posted on 12/24/2013 7:10:11 PM PST by Perdogg (Ted Cruz-Rand Paul 2016)
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To: DeaconBenjamin

I remember my Father mentioning that their commanding officer once gave him a verbal reprimand for trading a German kid some candy for some eggs.

I guess rules are rules.


3 posted on 12/24/2013 7:13:42 PM PST by yarddog (Romans 8: verses 38 and 39. "For I am persuaded".)
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To: yarddog

I can appreciate the concept of military discipline, because wars will be lost if your troops aren’t disciplined, but it seems a bit stiff-necked to end somebody’s career over it.

I wouldn’t want to be in a country where doing the right thing can cost a military career. I don’t think it’s good for morale to do that, not to mention that it is not good for the population at large either.

At most, it should have cost her a rank or points towards the next rank, imo.


4 posted on 12/24/2013 7:27:25 PM PST by Jonty30 (What Islam and secularism have in common is that they are both death cults)
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To: Jonty30

I agree with you, the punishment is too severe.

The reason the army forbid trading for food was it could be poisoned and for some reason eggs were one of the easiest to sabotage. All he got was a verbal dressing down and that was all that was due for a first offense.


5 posted on 12/24/2013 7:33:14 PM PST by yarddog (Romans 8: verses 38 and 39. "For I am persuaded".)
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To: Jonty30

I read of at least 2 Soldiers who contracted rabies from adopting the feral dogs in Afghanistan, against standing orders.

Unfortunately, both were too far along for treatment by the time the docs figured out why they were sick. Both died.


6 posted on 12/24/2013 7:36:35 PM PST by castlebrew (Gun Control means hitting where you're aiming!))
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To: DeaconBenjamin; Slings and Arrows; Glenn; republicangel; Beaker; BADROTOFINGER; etabeta; ...

7 posted on 12/24/2013 7:38:00 PM PST by Slings and Arrows (You can't have Ingsoc without an Emmanuel Goldstein.)
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To: DeaconBenjamin

Sounds like the Italians have a Frank Burns in their army.
What sort of cold blooded person would torpedo a career over Kittens?
I bet the clown who reported her really must be a real turd who was beat up a lot in school.


8 posted on 12/24/2013 7:39:53 PM PST by Yorlik803 ( Church/Caboose in 2016)
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To: Yorlik803
What sort of cold blooded person would torpedo a career over Kittens?

Someone concerned about introducing disease vectors into a mitary camp?

9 posted on 12/24/2013 7:54:18 PM PST by James C. Bennett (An Australian.)
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To: DeaconBenjamin

Not guilty?

10 posted on 12/24/2013 8:06:05 PM PST by MuttTheHoople (Nothing is more savage and brutal than justifiably angry Americans. DonÂ’t believe me? Ask the Germa)
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To: James C. Bennett
Someone concerned about introducing disease vectors into a mitary camp?

Cats kill more of the mouse disease vectors than they bring diseases into camp. Even the ancient Egyptians knew that.

Farmers have barn cats for the same reasons.

11 posted on 12/24/2013 8:07:34 PM PST by CurlyDave
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To: MuttTheHoople

Not guilty, but seriously... I am sick of these white framed fashion glasses.


12 posted on 12/24/2013 8:13:31 PM PST by Rodamala
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To: Rodamala

Looks brass to me. < ducking > ;0)


13 posted on 12/24/2013 8:23:04 PM PST by freepersup (Patrolling the waters off Free Republic one dhow at a time.)
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To: DeaconBenjamin

Don’t those dumb Italians have anything better to do with their damn time than waste money on stupid trials like this one and the similar persecution of that American girl?

They are turning themselves into the laughing stock of western Europe - a MOST unenviable role considering the competition.


14 posted on 12/24/2013 8:27:47 PM PST by ZULU (Impeach that Bastard Barrack Hussein Obama the Doctor Mengele of Medical Care)
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To: MuttTheHoople

15 posted on 12/24/2013 8:32:58 PM PST by Rome2000 (THE WASHINGTONIANS AND UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE ARE THE ENEMY -ROTATE THE CAPITAL AMONGST THE STATES)
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To: castlebrew

May I ask where you read this...?


16 posted on 12/24/2013 8:35:05 PM PST by oldoverholt
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To: DeaconBenjamin

Is this not silly?


17 posted on 12/24/2013 10:14:14 PM PST by The_Media_never_lie (The media must be defeated any way it can be done!)
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To: Jonty30
I wouldn’t want to be in a country where doing the right thing can cost a military career.

I think it happens in America too.

18 posted on 12/24/2013 10:16:16 PM PST by Mark17 (Chicago Blackhawks: Stanley Cup champions 2010, 2013. Vietnam Veteran, 70-71)
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To: Jonty30

It should not have cost her her rank, or points. It would have been ignored by a leader with any ability. This never should have even been officially noticed. Stupidity like this should hide it’s ugly head, but instead has become the norm.


19 posted on 12/24/2013 10:21:14 PM PST by jim35 (Obama: the second saboteur-in-chief.)
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To: castlebrew

The policy shouldn’t make it necessary for animal lovers to hide their dogs or cats. The policy should allow for soldiers to have their pets screened by veterinarians, and vaccinated. Troops can pay for it out of their own checks. These zero-tolerance policies are a pathway to failure, and often remove some of our best and brightest for foolish reasons, or even lead to death in the cases you cite. Leadership positions are so often filled with fools and sycophants. It’s a shame, really.


20 posted on 12/24/2013 10:25:49 PM PST by jim35 (Obama: the second saboteur-in-chief.)
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