West Ham footballer Kurt Zouma has said he is 'deeply sorry' after a video emerged of him slapping and kicking his pet cat. The RSPCA has spoken out about the 'very upsetting' footage and reaffirmed its commitment to investigate any complaints about animal welfare.
West Ham has also condemned the actions of their player and said the matter will be dealt with internally. READ MORE: Nurse who drives 550 miles a week for work and kids BANNED despite pleas Defender Zouma, who left Chelsea to join the club in August 2021, could be seen kicking and slapping the cat in the widely-shared clip.
The 27-year-old France international appears to chase the cat before throwing a pair of shoes at it and slapping its head. The video, originally posted on Snapchat, is captioned with laughing emojis, and laughter can be heard in the background.
According to Sky Sports, the Met Police has decided not to investigate the incident. A spokesperson for animal welfare charity the RSPCA described the footage as "very upsetting". "It’s never acceptable to kick, hit or slap an animal, for punishment or otherwise,” they said. “We are so grateful to people who report suspected animal suffering to us and we would like to reassure people we will always look into and, if necessary, investigate any complaints made to us about animal welfare.” West Ham said the football club "unreservedly condemns the actions of our player".
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