You may recall: Back in the summer of '09, there was a rash of cat killing across the city, with the animals often sliced in half and left in front yards. Dallas Police Department spokesman Senior Corporal Kevin Janse tells Unfair Park this morning those slayings went unsolved, which troubles the department: "Who's to say those harming animals aren't doing the same to humans?" Janse says the department has also noticed "a very disturbing trend" in recent years, as "there does seem to be an uptick in the number of cases we've seen."

Like, for instance, the cat killing reported to police on March 29, when a man who lives near Skillman and McCommas came home from a three-day trip and found his cat "cleanly severed in half" in a neighbor's yard. Police say a similar incident was reported that week near 2200 Cedar Springs, not far from the Crescent.

Which is why, this morning, the DPD, the SPCA of Texas and Dallas Animal Services are offering $5,000 for information leading to the arrest of those responsible. Says the department's release, what better than than Animal Cruelty Prevention Month to once again highlight the rash of "horrific" crimes? From the release: