Inland Empire pet owners have reason to be on heightened alert. Timothy Arie Kooyman, a convicted felon whose crimes include charges of animal cruelty, was recently released on parole from Avenal State Prison in Central California.
“Parolee Timothy Kooyman was released to state parole on May 19, after serving his full sentence for animal cruelty as defined by law,” Luis Patino, a spokesman from the state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, told the Weekly. The 28-year old Kooyman was released in San Bernardino County on parole under the conditions of good behavior, and is currently under the “highest level of supervision.”

Timothy Arie Kooyman

In May 2008, Kooyman was arrested by San Bernardino County Sheriff’s deputies in a Rancho Cucamonga neighborhood. A deputy reportedly found two mutilated cats—barely alive—sealed plastic container inside Kooyman’s truck.

He was also charged with one felony count of recklessly causing a fire to a structure or forest, which occurred after Kooyman poured gasoline on a female cat and lit her on fire.

In December 2008, Kooyman changed his plea to not guilty by reason of insanity. Then things took a twist when San Bernardino County Deputy District Attorney Debbie Ploghaus added new allegations against him; the use a dangerous or deadly weapon in committing a felony. Kooyman switched his plea (again) to no contest in April 2009. He was sentenced to Avenal the following July for a two-year sentence, for which he was given credit for time served and good behavior.
But this story does not end here.

 Moyer is angry and concerned that Kooyman will strike again based on his past crimes.

“This is one of the most disgusting, brutal cases I have ever seen,” Moyer tells the Weekly. “This guy is a monster for what he did to those cats. We lobbied at the Riverside DA’s office for over two years, asking [then-DA] Rod Pacheco to conduct his own investigation and consider pressing charges for the three cats in Corona who were tortured [by Kooyman].”
Voices for Pets’ efforts paid off. In 2010 Kooyman was charged with three felonies and one misdemeanor for allegedly torturing and killing cats in April and May 2008 at two Corona motels.

“It’s a shame there is not a law similar to Megan’s Law when it comes to animal cruelty,” he says. “Also, it has been documented that FBI researches into serial killers document [that] the majority of them have a background of cruelty to animals.”

Voices for Pets has been distributing flyers alerting residents and animal rescue organizations about Kooyman’s release. Robyn Hunt, a Southern California representative for the group, forwarded a Corona-specific flyer to the Weekly.

“This guy will not stop killing cats,” Moyer says.

To read this story in full, click here:-http://ieweekly.com/2012/05/news-stories-2/news-stories/real-animal-cruelty/

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