Betws y Coed,Royal Oak Hotel, North Wales - Campaigners protest at Betws y Coed hotel at centre of cat killing row

The manager of the Royal Oak insists those responsible have been dismissed as anger at the incident continues

Campaigners staged a protest today outside the Betws y Coed hotel at the centre of a row over the killing of a kitten.

Animal campaigner Judi Hewitt was among around 50 people who gathered outside the Royal Oak Hotel with banners.

They are calling for the manager of the hotel to be dismissed after claims that the kitten was killed with a rolling pin.

Ms Hewitt said: “The community has been left shocked by this incident.”

Royal Oak manager Glenn Evans has said that the staff responsible for the kitten’s death have been dismissed.

But Ms Hewitt said: “We have been told one person responsible may have been moved somewhere else in the company or others had been told to stay away until it had calmed down.

“We want the manager dismissed from the company and anybody else in the kitchen that was involved in the killing of this cat.

“There were 50 of us there today and it shows the strength of feeling at what happened.

“We were one-time customers of the Royal Oak and we will not be going back until they are dismissed.”

Ms Hewitt said a petition launched calling for justice for the kitten had received 87,644 signatures.

Mr Evans insisted anybody involved in the incident had been dismissed and not transferred.

He said: “We know that we did not handle the circumstances well in the first instance and have taken full responsibility for this.”

He added: “Individuals involved in the incident have been dismissed from the company.

“To reiterate they have not been transferred – they have been dismissed.

“The individuals acted alone, without reference to management, training or protocols.

“The matter is now formally between the RSPCA and the individuals concerned.”

Mr Evans said they continued to cooperate fully with the authorities and could not give further details while the RSPCA investigate the incident.

“We continue to support the team throughout the company at this difficult time; they have received verbal abuse and violent threats based upon the reporting of the incident, of which they had no knowledge or involvement,” he said.

“We hope the hotel can continue to support the team, the village, and its local suppliers by demonstrating our commitment to the local community.”

http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/campaigners-protest-betws-y-coed-12339310