Weifang neighborhood men commit arson to kill a cat
| Case Details | |
|---|---|
| Key Details | |
| Location | Weifang, Shandong, China |
| Species Involved | Cats |
| Type of Abuse | Physical harm |
| Timeline | |
| Date of Incident | July 27, 2025 |
| Date Discovered | August 1, 2025 |
| Date Closed | — |
| Status & Outcome | |
| Case Status | No investigation/enforcement action |
| Perpetrator | Three men |
| Aftermath | Sparked online condemnation |
| Person of Interest | |
|---|---|
| Name | — |
| Age | — |
| Occupation | — |
| Known Identifiers | — |
| Status | Persons of Interest |
| Involvement | Stole a resident’s cat and burned it alive with gasoline in the neighborhood. |
| Punitive Measure | — |

On August 1, 2025, information began to circulate on multiple internet platforms regarding the Weifang neighborhood arson and cat killing incident, an event that reportedly occurred on July 27 in the Jinma Yiyuan residential complex in Kuiwen District, Weifang, Shandong. The case involves three men who allegedly stole a resident's pet cat and later publicly killed it by setting it on fire with gasoline, sparking controversy over the act and the subsequent police response.

The incident
The events reportedly occurred in chronological order on July 27, 2025:
- During the daytime, three men used a trap cage to steal a pet cat belonging to another resident of the Jinma Yiyuan complex.
- At approximately 10:56 PM, the men went to the area outside Building 19, Unit 3 of the complex (潍坊市奎文区新城街道金马怡园19栋三单元), carrying bottled gasoline and other arson tools.
- They then committed arson by setting the cat on fire, burning it to death.
- The act was allegedly filmed for their own entertainment.
Police response and controversy
According to the circulated information, the Guangchang Police Station was accused of a serious dereliction of duty in its handling of the case. The report alleged that, at the time, the police had not detained the three men involved. It further claimed that the police refused to file a case and told the individual who reported the crime that the group would not have to bear any responsibility for their actions.
Public demands
The circulated text included a list of legal arguments and public demands for how the case should be handled:
- The act of illegally obtaining gasoline and committing arson in a residential area should be treated as the crime of Arson under Article 114 of the Chinese Criminal Law.
- The theft of the cat should be punished as the crime of Theft, with compensation provided.
- The malicious killing of an animal while filming it should be considered the crime of "Creating a Disturbance" (寻衅滋事罪), and the perpetrators should be detained immediately.
- It was demanded that the final outcome of the case be publicly announced within the community to maintain public safety and order.