A man in Lebanon has made a cat video that won't get many likes on Facebook -- or anywhere else.
In shocking video obtained by the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation, a man identified as Hasan Hammoud places a brown-white-tabby cat into a microwave oven twice. An edited version of the footage appeared in an LBCI broadcast.
The person videotaping the incident can be heard saying, “Here is the criminal Hasan Hammoud imprisoning a cat in the microwave and warming it,” before he and the person identified as Hammoud burst into laughter, the Lebanon Daily Star reported.
The cat, named "Buthaina," reportedly survived the incident, but the video caused a firestorm of controversy since it was first posted on Friday to Mohammad Jallad.
It was quickly removed. Outrage over the incident has charity group Animals Lebanon calling for changes to the country's animal lax rights laws, according to the Lebanon Daily Star.
Charity spokeswoman Michelle Matta said if a new law is approved, the perpetrators could face a prison sentence ranging from three months to two years, as well as a hefty fine.
Under current animal abuse laws, Hammoud and his apparent accomplice, Mohammad Jallabad, would only face maximum fines equivalent to about $16, according to HuffPost UK.
Hammoud and Jallabad have since issued apologies for microwaving the cat, but some who've seen the video doubt his sincerity since he can be seen trying to stifle a grin throughout, the Lebanon Daily Star reported.
“This is Buthaina. She’s still alive and she has it better than me,” he said on his apology video. “I know this was wrong. I apologize for everything. I’m not a criminal.”
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