Police in Tampa, Florida, have stated a Pasco County Sheriff’s Workplace deputy stomped on his girlfriend’s cat, with the pet dying that day.
Eric Harris was arrested by the Tampa Police Division at his dwelling on August 31 and now faces a cost of felony animal cruelty.
In response to Tampa Police, Harris had an argument along with his girlfriend of six months on August 21 over her two pet cats.
Tampa Police Division./Pasco
The previous couple had just lately moved in collectively to a Tampa condo, however Harris was upset over his girlfriend’s pets defecating on the condo ground and climbing onto counters and furnishings.
When Harris’ girlfriend returned to the property on August 22, she allegedly discovered each cats hiding of their crate.
One cat, a 3-year-old named Axel, reportedly had damaged and bleeding toenails, and in accordance with Tampa Police, the animal was performing out of character and was unable to make use of its rear legs to face up.
Harris’ girlfriend took the cat to a veterinarian in Sarasota to be checked out, the place the feline was then referred to an animal hospital for pressing take care of its accidents.
The identical day, Axel died, and the veterinarian contacted legislation enforcement with concern over the severity of the cat’s accidents.
Police stated that Harris denied any wrongdoing and stated the cat was positive whereas he was within the condo with the animal.
Days later, on August 26, the Florida Division of Legislation and Enforcement carried out a necropsy on Axel and dominated his dying was attributable to blunt pressure trauma.
There was extreme hemorrhaging and bruising to inner organs and facial accidents, together with a lacking tooth and marks on his physique indicating that he had been stomped on.
Harris was let go from his function at Pasco Sheriff’s Workplace when he was arrested.
In Florida, aggravated animal cruelty is classed as, “An individual who deliberately commits an act to any animal, or an individual who owns or has the custody or management of any animal and fails to behave, which leads to the merciless dying, or extreme or repeated infliction of pointless ache or struggling, or causes the identical to be achieved.”
Such a felony of the third diploma is punishable by as much as 5 years in jail and/or a $5,000 positive.
Newsweek has contacted Tampa Police Division and Pasco Sheriff’s Workplace for remark.
