Cruelty and torture of animals is never OK. People are usually next on the menu. Medieval punishment fits the crime.
Did you ever squish a bug on purpose that was doing you no harm when you were a kid? Did you ever swat a fly that wasn't hurting you? Did you ever take a worm and put it on a hook and go fishing? I think you see the point. Not every cruel action done to an animal means that the kid or person is another serial killer.