Port Lincoln animal cruelty incident
The Port Lincoln kitten incident (also reported as the Port Lincoln wharf kitten video) concerns short video clips that circulated on social media in late March 2025. The footage shows a young woman, identified as Gracie Giblin, swinging a small tabby kitten by its tail before throwing it into the water at the Port Lincoln wharf.[1] The incident sparked widespread outrage amid allegations of live animal cruelty, although some initial news reports stated the kitten was already deceased.[2][3] South Australia Police later spoke with a 21-year-old woman who was subsequently taken to hospital for an assessment while inquiries continued.[3]
| Port Lincoln kitten incident | |
|---|---|
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| Key Details | |
| Location | Port Lincoln wharf, Port Lincoln, South Australia, Australia |
| Species Involved | Cats, rabbits |
| Type of Abuse | Physical harm |
| Timeline | |
| Date of Incident | March 25, 2025 |
| Date Discovered | March 26, 2025 |
| Date Closed | — |
| Status & Outcome | |
| Case Status | Under investigation by South Australia Police and RSPCA South Australia |
| Perpetrator | Gracie Giblin |
| Aftermath | Online outrage and condemnation, public demand for legal action |
| Person of Interest | |
|---|---|
|
| |
| Name | Gracie Giblin |
| Age | 21 (at time of incident) |
| Occupation | Dance teacher and qualified childcare worker |
| Known Identifiers | |
| Status | Person of interest spoken to by police; taken to hospital for assessment |
| Involvement | Filmed swinging a kitten by its tail and throwing it into the water at Port Lincoln wharf. |
| Punitive Measure | Under investigation |
Incident
On the evening of Tuesday, March 25, 2025, a woman, Gracie Giblin, was filmed laughing while swinging a small tabby kitten by its tail at the Port Lincoln wharf.[1] The footage, which shows her then launching the animal into the ocean, prompted accusations of extreme animal cruelty. A second video reportedly showed her laughing while driving with the kitten on her car's dashboard.[1] While some initial media reports claimed the kitten had been killed in a traffic accident prior to the incident,[2][3] the nature of the footage led to widespread belief the animal was thrown while still alive.[1]
Community members who attended the area thereafter also reported finding a small, deceased white rabbit in the water near the same location.[4][1]
- Bodies of a rabbit and a cat recovered from the water:
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Identification and social-media circulation
The footage was originally posted to local community Facebook pages and animal-welfare pages, leading to widespread re-posting and a public petition calling for legal action.[5][6] Social media posts widely identified the individual in the video as Gracie Giblin, a 21-year-old dance teacher and qualified childcare worker from the area.[1] Mainstream media outlets have reported that police spoke with a 21-year-old woman in relation to the incident, but have attributed the specific naming of the individual to social media.[3]
Investigation and official responses
South Australia Police confirmed they were aware of an incident at the Port Lincoln wharf and that officers had attended a local address and spoken with a 21-year-old woman, who was then taken to hospital for an assessment.[7] Police stated they were liaising with RSPCA South Australia regarding any alleged offenses and that inquiries were ongoing. RSPCA South Australia acknowledged it had received a report about an incident involving a cat and a rabbit and would not comment further while investigations were underway.[8][1]
Public reaction
The video triggered strong reactions across social media and in national and international tabloid coverage.[1][9] A Change.org petition gathered signatures calling for legal action, and local rescue volunteers expressed shock and outrage, while some community pages urged restraint while inquiries were carried out.[6]
Context: animal welfare in the Port Lincoln region
Local reporting has highlighted ongoing challenges for animal welfare on the Lower Eyre Peninsula, including the closure of an RSPCA facility in Port Lincoln in 2024 and significant pressure on local volunteer rescue groups.[10]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 (26 March 2025). "Gracie Giblin: Disturbing footage shows dance teacher and childcare worker swinging a tiny tabby cat by the tail before launching it into the ocean in Port Lincoln", Daily Mail. Retrieved 23 September 2025from https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14541945/Gracie-Giblin-cat-cruelty-port-lincoln.html
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 (26 March 2025). "Port Lincoln woman throws dead kitten in harbour", news.com.au. Retrieved 23 September 2025from https://www.news.com.au/technology/science/animals/traumatising-woman-throws-dead-kitten-in-harbour-after-animal-was-run-over/news-story/3434b20ef430ffd8d3c1eb7f22eded06
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 (26 March 2025). "Disturbing video emerges as woman allegedly tortures kitten", The Advertiser (adelaidenow). Retrieved 23 September 2025from https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/messenger/port-lincoln/a-port-lincoln-woman-has-been-taken-to-hospital-for-assessment-after-video-emerged-of-her-throwing-a-dead-kitten-into-the-water/news-story/7d91ed531c90a96fc8d4bf1390bf66b3
- ↑ (26 March 2025). "Video shows alleged animal abuse", Port Lincoln Times. Retrieved 23 September 2025from https://portlincolntimes.com.au/news/2025/03/26/video-shows-alleged-animal-abuse/
- ↑ (26 March 2025). "GRACIE GIBLIN - Port Lincoln, SA (community Facebook post)", Facebook. Retrieved 23 September 2025from https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=122149711586498722&id=61564961684533
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 (28 March 2025). "Demand Legal Action for Tabby Kitten Thrown into Ocean by Gracie Giblin", Change.org. Retrieved 23 September 2025from https://www.change.org/p/demand-legal-action-for-tabby-kitten-thrown-into-ocean-by-gracie-giblin
- ↑ (26 March 2025). "Woman throws dead kitten in harbour", Yahoo News Australia. Retrieved 23 September 2025from https://au.news.yahoo.com/woman-throws-dead-kitten-harbour-044842512.html
- ↑ (2025). "RSPCA South Australia (organisation homepage)", RSPCA South Australia. Retrieved 23 September 2025from https://www.rspcasa.org.au/
- ↑ (26 March 2025). "Woman throws dead kitten by its tail into harbor after animal was run over: ‘Traumatizing’", New York Post. Retrieved 23 September 2025from https://nypost.com/2025/03/26/lifestyle/woman-throws-dead-kitten-by-its-tail-into-harbor-after-animal-was-run-over-traumatizing/
- ↑ (6 August 2024). "Port Lincoln RSPCA to close despite volunteers warning of stray cat problem", ABC Eyre Peninsula. Retrieved 23 September 2025from https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08-06/rspca-port-lincoln-closing-pets-rescue-cats-regional-sa/104188190