West Ham player Kurt Zouma has been caught in a video kicking his cat across his kitchen floor, as reported by The Sun. He could be prosecuted for animal abuse, which under the Animal Welfare Bill. The Premier League club and the player have released statements regarding the situation.
Zouma, 27, is seen in the video, recorded by his brother Yoan and posted to Snapchat on Sunday afternoon per the report, not only booting the animal but also slapping his pet’s face, while he chases the animal around the dining room in front of a child.
The French international is, ironically, an ambassador for the French charity Seed, which has raised money for an animal shelter for big cats, according to The Sun. He also promotes the charity in his Instagram bio.
Zouma “regrets” his actions and the club will deal with the matter “internally”
The club released a statement yesterday, in which they condemn the actions of the player: "West Ham United unreservedly condemns the actions of our player, Kurt Zouma, in the video that has circulated. We have spoken to Kurt and will be dealing with the matter internally, but we would like to make it clear that we in no way condone cruelty towards animals.”
Meanwhile, Zouma himself also issued an apology in which he affirms that the incident was “isolated” and that his pets are “healthy.” The player said that there “are no excuses” for his behavior, which he “regrets,” according to the reports from The Sun.
“I also want to say how deeply sorry I am to anyone who was upset by the video. I would like to assure everyone that our two cats are perfectly fine and healthy. They are loved and cherished by our entire family, and this behavior was an isolated incident that will not happen again,” the player said, per The Sun.
