Don't Punish Italian Soldier For Saving Dying Cat

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An Italian soldier named Barbara Balanzoni was sent to military court for saving the life of a dying cat.

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Dear Indra,

Lieutenant Barbara Balanzoni was working as a medical officer at a base in Kosovo when she heard what sounded like an animal in pain. A local cat, who normally lived on the roof of a hut, was giving birth and clearly in extreme pain. Lt. Balanzoni stepped in to save the cat's life -- and now she's being punished for it.

The cat, who had been delivering kittens, was too exhausted to have the final one, who turned out to be stillborn. Because the veterinary officer was in Italy, Lt. Balanzoni used her own medical knowledge to help the animal. Without her, the cat would have certainly died, as would have her kittens, who would've been left without a mother.

Lt. Balanzoni's superior officers say she defied orders forbidding soldiers from "bringing in or having brought i n wild, stray or unaccompanied animals." But Lt. Balanzoni didn't "bring in" the cat in the first place. She was just acting in good conscience to help an animal in need. And as she points out, it was also an issue of public health: If the cat had died, the entire area would have had to be sterilized.

Lt. Balanzoni now faces insubordination charges, which carry a minimum sentence of one year in a military penitentiary. Tell the Italian Defence Minister to drop the charges against her immediately!