Spine-chilling video captures Chinese take-out owner torturing tiny kittens simply for twisted pleasure

A Chinese restaurant owner in Philadelphia has been caught torturing six helpless kittens in a spine-chilling video filmed by CCTV cameras.



Local SPCA enforcement officers were called to the scene after police officers investigating an unrelated shooting found the footage of 25-year-old Yu Zhen Chen recorded in what looks like the back room of his take-out restaurant, Red Star Chinese.



During the ten minute clip, Chen tosses the tiny creatures into the air, chokes them, tugs at them and throws them across the ground like bowling balls.



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Spine-chilling: The owner of a Chinese restaurant in Philadelphia was captured on camera throwing, choking and swinging six kittens during an investigation into a shooting at his eatery



Richard Loos of the Pennsylvania SPCA told NBC News that Chen was clearly 'intending on purposely hurting and torturing these kittens. It's very disturbing.'

While Chen posted bond on Sunday night, he faces four charges of animal torture and four charges of ill-treatment of animals.



Gotcha: Chen catches a kitten as it falls back down from being tossed in the air by the heartless restaurant owner

Sadistic games: Chen throws the kitten (blurred on the right) across the floor as if it were a bowling ball

SPCA spokesman Wendy Marano told MailOnline that although they were only able to rescue the mother cat and two kittens, during his arrest, Chen admitted that there were six kittens in total.



But she lamented, given that they are estimated to be about two to three weeks old, the chances the remaining four could survive without their mother's milk were 'slim'.

Guilty: Yu Zhen Chen, 25, posted bail on Sunday but faces eight counts in total of animal cruelty

Crime scene: The Red Star Chinese in Philadelphia's Logan neighbourhood was already under investigation for a shooting when police stumbled upon the footage of Chen

The three cats who were found and saved, meanwhile, are said to be doing very well at the rescue group where they are being cared for and have been named.



The mother is now referred to as Carmella and her two kittens have been named Eko and Sonic.

Saved: Carmella and her surviving two kittens who have been named Eko and Sonic by the rescue group, are said to be doing well and will be adopted once they have been weaned and reach 2lbs

Helpless: One of the two kittens rescued of the litter that is too young to survive without their mother's milk

Once the kittens reach eight weeks and weigh a healthy 2lbs they will be spayed or neutered and put up for adoption along with their mother.



Despite the horrific circumstances, Ms Marano revealed this is not an unfamiliar story as the SPCA deal with 10,000 cases of animal cruelty a year, some involving the setting on fire of dogs among other atrocities.



Mr Loos said of Chen's treatment: ''This is not neglect. This is malicious. I'm hoping he does jail time.

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