Port Lincoln animal cruelty incident
| Port Lincoln kitten incident | |
|---|---|
|
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| Key Details | |
| Location | Port Lincoln wharf, Port Lincoln, South Australia, Australia |
| Species Involved | — |
| Type of Abuse | Alleged animal cruelty; public disposal of deceased animals; viral video distribution |
| Timeline | |
| Date of Incident | 25–26 March 2025 (reported) |
| Date Discovered | — |
| Date Closed | — |
| Status & Outcome | |
| Case Status | Under investigation by South Australia Police and RSPCA South Australia (as of 23 September 2025) |
| Perpetrator | Unnamed 21-year-old woman (identifications circulated on social media; see below) |
| Aftermath | — |
| Person of Interest | |
|---|---|
|
| |
| Name | Gracie Giblin (alleged; name circulated on social media) |
| Age | 21 (reported) |
| Occupation | Resident of Port Lincoln (local reporting/social posts) |
| Known Identifiers | Name widely circulated on social media and in petitions; treated as allegation in press reports |
| Status | Person of interest reported to have been spoken to by police; reportedly taken to hospital for assessment |
| Involvement | Alleged to have appeared in circulating footage swinging a deceased kitten by its tail and throwing the body into the water at Port Lincoln wharf; social media posts also allege a rabbit was disposed of in the same area. |
| Punitive Measure | Under investigation; no public court filing reported as of 23 September 2025 |
‘’‘Port Lincoln kitten incident’’’ (also reported in media as the Port Lincoln wharf kitten video) concerns a short video clip that circulated on social media in late March 2025 showing a young woman holding a small deceased tabby kitten by the tail, crossing a road near the Port Lincoln wharf and throwing the animal into the water. Local news outlets reported RSPCA South Australia had received a notification and that South Australia Police had attended a Port Lincoln address and spoken with a 21-year-old woman; the woman was reported to have been taken to hospital for assessment while inquiries were made. Social media threads and a public petition circulated naming an individual (widely identified online as “Gracie Giblin”); those identifications are presented here as reported/alleged. (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?amp(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
Incident
According to multiple locally posted eyewitness accounts and video copies shared to Facebook and other platforms, on the evening of Tuesday 25 March 2025 a woman was filmed carrying a small tabby kitten by its tail near the Port Lincoln wharf. The footage — which was later widely shared and then in many places removed — showed the woman swinging the kitten and then throwing the animal into the water. Community members who attended the area thereafter also reported finding a small rabbit in the water near the same location. Local animal-welfare volunteers and rescuers posted about the distressing discovery and contacted authorities. (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/
Identification and social-media circulation
The circulating footage was originally posted to local community Facebook pages (for example the “Port Lincoln Rant & Rave” group) and to animal-welfare pages such as Aussies Against Animal Abuse; community members re-posted the material, and a public petition calling for legal action was opened. Some social-media posts and community threads named an individual, widely identified online as ‘‘Gracie Giblin’’. Mainstream media reports describe the naming as coming from social media posts and community pages; mainstream outlets have reported that police attended an address and spoke with a 21-year-old woman in relation to the incident. Because the name circulated primarily via social media and user posts, the identification is presented here as reported/alleged. (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(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
Investigation and official responses
South Australia Police told multiple news outlets they were aware of an incident at Port Lincoln wharf and that, following inquiries, officers had attended a Port Lincoln address and spoken with a 21-year-old woman; police reported the woman was taken to hospital for an assessment. Police stated they were liaising with RSPCA South Australia regarding any alleged offences and that inquiries were ongoing. RSPCA South Australia acknowledged it had received a report about an incident involving a cat and a rabbit and said it would not comment further while investigations were underway. No public court filings or convictions related to this incident had been reported in mainstream media as of 23 September 2025. (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/
Public reaction
The video triggered strong reactions across local Facebook groups, Instagram, Reddit and national/international tabloid coverage. A Change.org petition calling for legal action gathered signatures, and local rescue volunteers and members of the public expressed shock and outrage; some community pages urged restraint while police and health-care professionals carried out enquiries. Media coverage also recorded debate in comment threads about mental-health factors versus criminal accountability. (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/
Legal status and follow-up
As of 23 September 2025, reporting indicates investigations remained ongoing; no reliable mainstream source had published information that charges were laid or that a prosecution had been completed. If formal charges are filed or court proceedings occur, those primary documents and reliable court reporting should be cited here. Editors should update this page with court documents, police statements or RSPCA outcomes when they become publicly available.
Context: animal welfare in the Port Lincoln region
Local coverage and regional reporting in 2024–2025 highlighted ongoing challenges for animal welfare on the Lower Eyre Peninsula, including the announced withdrawal/closure of an RSPCA facility in Port Lincoln in 2024 and pressure on local volunteer rescue groups. That broader context — fewer local RSPCA resources and high demand on volunteers — has been noted by local rescue groups in reporting about regional animal welfare capacity. (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
See also
• Animal cruelty in Australia • RSPCA South Australia
References
Template:Ref(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?amp
Template:Ref(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
Template:Ref(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/
Template:Ref(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
Template:Ref(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
Template:Ref(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/
Template:Ref(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
Template:Ref(2025). "RSPCA South Australia (organisation homepage)", RSPCA South Australia. Retrieved 23 September 2025from https://www.rspcasa.org.au/
Template:Ref(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