Two kittens thrown in dumpster: Huntington, WV (US) - Jun 2, 2011

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Incident Date: Thursday, Jun 2, 2011
County: Cabell

Charges: Felony CTA
Disposition: Alleged
Case Images: 1 files available

Alleged: Michael Anthony Clark

An Ohio man allegedly threw two kittens inside a dumpster Thursday night, according to a report filed with the Huntington Police Department.

Police said Michael Anthony Clark, 52, of Columbus, was seen throwing two black kittens into a dumpster at 555 W. 14th St. in Huntington around 10:30 p.m.

The report stated Clark was later found in the 1200 block of Fifth Avenue. Police said he smelled like alcohol, had glassy eyes and slurred speech. Clark refused to let the police fingerprint him.

Clark was charged with two felony counts of cruelty to animals, public intoxication and failure to process.

The kittens were taken to the Cabell-Wayne Animal Shelter. The staff said the kittens appear to be three weeks old and have taken to another mother cat. They will be ready for adoption in approximately three weeks.

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Six of a dozen family pets found dead: Palm Harbor, FL (US) - Jun 2, 2011

Incident Date: Thursday, Jun 2, 2011
County: Pinellas

Charges: Felony CTA
Disposition: Alleged

Alleged: Michael Edward Waite

Pinellas County Sheriff's deputies arrested a Palm Harbor man June 2 after discovering several dead animals inside his home.

Deputies responded to a report of animal cruelty at 516 Rebstock Blvd. at 6:15 p.m., according to a sheriff's report. When deputies arrived, they met with Joanna Waite, 34, of Pinellas Park, who reported she and her husband Michael Edward Waite, 39, have been separated since late April. They shared custody of their three children and 12 family pets.

Joanna said she left the animals with Michael in the home they shared in Palm Harbor when she and the children moved to Pinellas Park in late April. Since then the children have been staying between the two homes while still attending school.

Joanne reportedly picked the children up from school about 3 p.m. June 2 and brought them to Michael at the Palm Harbor residence only to find him not there and house locks changed.

One of the children entered the home through a window and unlocked the door. This is when Joanna discovered the deplorable living conditions inside, and the animals deceased, missing, or suffering from malnutrition, according to the sheriff's report.

One bird, a blue and gold Macaw, was still barely alive. She rushed him to her veterinarian's office where he later died. Joanna then called deputies. In all Michael was in charge of 12 animals, and according to Joanna he never told her he was having a problem taking care of them.

Deputies called the Pinellas SPCA to the scene and they removed one cat and two kittens, all suffering from starvation. Two dogs and one cat were given to the custody of Joanna.

When deputies interviewed Michael, he stated he could not afford the animals and had stopped feeding them. He claimed two of the birds that were missing, an African Gray Parrott and a Moluccan Cockatoo had died, and he threw them in the trash. One kitten that is still missing he could not account for, but deputies believe it had also died along with two other kittens found dead in the home.

Deputies reported the house was in a state of deplorable unsanitary condition. Animal feces and urine was documented to be all over the floors, carpets, and furniture. The birdcages appeared as if they had not been cleaned in sometime, and no food could be found.

In all five of the animals are confirmed dead because of lack of care and intentional starvation. Michael allegedly told deputies he was glad he was being arrested because he needed this push to straighten out his life.

The investigation continues.

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Malnourished animals seized: Jacksonville, TX (US) - Jun 2, 2011

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Incident Date: Thursday, Jun 2, 2011
County: Cherokee

Disposition: Alleged
Case Images: 1 files available

Alleged: William Earl Franklin

Case Updates: 1 update(s) available

The Cherokee County Sheriff's Department and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals of East Texas seized animals from a property on CR 3304 in Jacksonville on Thursday and Friday because the animals were "cruelly confined, severely neglected and improperly fed," according to a warrant application.

One horse was seized Thursday and seven horses, one bull, two cows, and one donkey were seized Friday and taken to a veterinarian in Tyler, said Cherokee County Deputy Joe Self.

"(The horse we picked up Thursday) was in the worst shape, just super skinny, not being fed and taken care of, probably not wormed," Self told the Daily Progress Friday. "These animals have gone to Smith County and our veterinarian is going to inspect these animals."

Deborah Dobbs, SPCA of East Texas president, said a tip on the organization's hotline spurred the investigation.

"This is one of the worst we've seen in awhile so we connected the Cherokee County authorities," Dobbs said.

After seizing one horse Thursday, authorities saw several other animals in need of attention, she said.

"The conditions out there are horrible," Dobbs said. "It's more about the cruel confinement of these animals. Some of them are grossly underweight and need to be fed, but the conditions are very dangerous for any animal. There's a lot of glass, wire and metal, and trash."

The animals had no natural source of food, she said.

"They're in a dirt pen with no grass," Dobbs said. "There's a tiny bit of hay that had been thrown out but these animals are so thin. It takes months for a horse to get like this. This didn't happen overnight."

The owner of the animals, alleged to be William Earl Franklin according to the warrant application, will appear at a civil hearing before Precinct 3 Justice of the Peace Phillip Grimes on June 13 at 10 a.m.

"At that point we will present evidence to the court and decide if the animals have been cruelty confined," Dobbs said. "If he makes a finding there's been animal cruelty, he must remove them from the owner."

The animals could be awarded to the SPCA of East Texas to place them with a new owner, she said.

At the civil hearing, the owner may also be ordered to pay restitution to the SPCA of East Texas.

Criminal charges had not been filed as of Friday.

"Criminal charges typically wait until there's a veterinary examination," Dobbs said.

Because the case is still under investigation, Self said he could not disclose whether the sheriff's department is seeking to file criminal charges.

At a civil hearing Monday, 12 animals seized from a Jacksonville property earlier this month were awarded to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals of East Texas.

"This is the first time the SPCA of East Texas has gone into Cherokee County on seizure," said Deborah Dobbs, SPCA of East Texas president.

Dobbs said she was very pleased with Precinct 3 Justice of the Peace Phillip Grimes' decision.

Eight horses, one bull, two cows, and one donkey were seized from a property on County Road 3304 by the Cherokee County Sheriff's Department and the SPCA of East Texas for being "cruelly confined, severely neglected and improperly fed," according to a warrant application.

Tyler Veterinarian Michael Williams examined the animals and found them to be malnourished, Dobbs said.

His findings were presented in court.

"The environment these animals were being kept in was extremely dangerous, so they were at risk and they had injuries and they were living in squalor," Dobbs said. "It was pretty horrific."

The animal owner, alleged to be William Earl Franklin according to a warrant application, was ordered to pay all costs the SPCA of East Texas incurred in seizing the animals within the next 30 days.

The defendant may file an appeal within 10 days.

If an appeal is not filed, the SPCA of East Texas assumes full ownership of the animals and begins the process of finding them new homes, Dobbs said.

Criminal charges may also be filed against the defendant.

"Deputy (Joe) Self will have to make that decision of whether to proceed with criminal charges," Dobbs said.

Self was not available for comment Monday.

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Dog-fighting: Memphis, TN (US) - Jun 2, 2011

Incident Date: Thursday, Jun 2, 2011
County: Shelby

Disposition: Alleged

Alleged:
» Darryl Cross
» A Juvenile

Bobby Tittle says she came to her front window Thursday after hearing a loud commotion.

"We heard some hollering and yelping, so we looked down the driveway and there was a guy just leaning on the fence watching two dogs and then he grabbed the little one and threw it over in the middle of them," said Tittle.

Tittle says she was witnessing dog fighting in her neighbor's backyard.

And she wasn't the only person who heard the commotion. A Memphis Police Officer was driving by at the time with her windows down.

"She heard it, stopped, backed up and pulled into the curb and went running up the driveway," added Tittle.

38-year-old Darryl Cross is now facing charges of animal or cockfighting.

Cross' fiancé's 11-year old son was also taken into custody.

According to an affidavit, the officer observed Cross encouraging the boy to throw two puppies over a fence into an area with three pit bull dogs.

Memphis Police say that Cross was agitating the pit bull dogs by shaking the fence and yelling, causing them to attack the puppy.

"They moved in just a few months ago. Then the dogs came in and we would see them trying to make them fight," added Tittle.

Animal Control took 5 animals from the home: three pit bulls and two puppies which were at the center of the action. One of the puppies had to be put down this morning. And the same could happen to the others.

"In a situation like this you have animals that have not been socialized correctly , that have been taught aggressive behavior, and they become challenging at best and impossible to place into a home," said Matthew Pepper from the Memphis Animal Shelter.

The 11-year-old was released from Juvenile Hall to his parents' custody.

Cross is due in court Monday morning.

The dogs will remain at the Memphis Animal Shelter until Cross' case is heard.

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Puppy beaten, buried alive, teens charged: Bakersfield, CA (US) - Jun 6, 2011

Incident Date: Monday, Jun 6, 2011
County: Kern

Disposition: Alleged

Alleged:
» 15-year-old-male
» 17-year-old male

Officers with the Bakersfield Police Department have arrested two teens who were in the process of burying live dogs.

Sgt. Mary DeGeare said that about 8:20 a.m. Monday, the BPD received a call regarding two boys, 15 and 17 years old, who were burying live dogs in the 1900 block of East Planz Road.

A homeowner said they saw two teens, one of whom was striking one of three puppies with a stick.

The boys then began to bury the same puppy in a pre-dug hole on the shoulder of the road where East Planz Road intersects with Hale Street, DeGeare said.

DeGeare said the witness called the police and then confronted the boys, who both ran.

Police said the buried puppy was freeing itself from the dirt and the other two puppies were loose nearby.

The 17-year-old returned to the area and the younger returned later with a parent.

The BPD's investigation revealed the animals were owned by the boys, and they were attempting to dispose of the dogs because of problems they were causing in their yard, DeGeare said.

Both boys were arrested on charges of conspiracy and animal cruelty and taken to Juvenile Hall.

The 8-week-old pit bull mix puppies were taken by city Animal Control

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18 starving, dehydrated horses found at boarding facility: Ludowici, GA (US) - Jun 4, 2011

Incident Date: Saturday, Jun 4, 2011
County: Long

Disposition: Alleged
Case Images: 3 files available

Alleged:
» Jason Ashley
» Curtis Austell

Case Updates: 1 update(s) available

A tip leads authorities to neglected horses in a Long County boarding facility off of Stafford Dairy Road...one deputy refers to the scene as an obvious case of animal cruelty.

The tip came in on Saturday and led to the discovery of 18 horses at the un-named boarding facility.

The owner had been paid to care for the animals but they were found in various stages of neglect…many in advanced stages of starvation and dehydration.

Deputy Walt Pelton with the Long County Sheriff's Office says, "These animals are in very bad condition. There's a couple we're not sure we're going to be able to save or not - it's just sickening."

Investigators say most of the horse owners have been contacted and some have already retrieved their animals. The Department of Agriculture is expected to join the investigation on Monday.

The owner of the boarding facility has also been contacted - authorities say he is currently in Florida and they're not sure if he plans to return on his own.

Long County Sheriff officials confirm they have taken the owner of a horse stable into custody. They say Jason Ashley showed up on the property a short time ago.

Sgt. Mark Hall with the Long County Sheriff's Office says that Jason Ashley has been charged with one count of animal cruelty, which is a misdemeanor. Sgt. Hall also says an employee of Ashley's, Curtis Austell, was charged with being a party to a crime. Both men are set to appear in court on July 20.

Hall told us that the Georgia Agriculture Department spent much of the day on the scene investigating and that when Ashley showed up, "they called me and I came out and arrested him," Hall told News 3.

Owners of horses boarded at a farm near Ludowici began removing their animals today after some were found near starvation over the weekend.

A young woman names Sarah Johns told us her mare appears to have lost as much as 300 pounds. Johns told us she is a busy student at Armstrong and on the golf team so she had been out of town a lot and hadn't been able to see her horse for about two months.

Mark Hall told us when they arrived on scene Saturday night that there was no water or feed or hay in any of the stalls. Hall says up to eight horses out of an estimated 15 at the stables, appeared very malnourished.

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4 horses stabbed with pitchfork: Mcvey, AL (US) - Jun 1, 2011

Incident Date: Wednesday, Jun 1, 2011
County: Clarke

Disposition: Open

Suspect(s) Unknown - We need your help!

Law enforcement authorities in Clarke County, Ala., are seeking those responsible for using a pitchfork to attack four horses residing in a pasture in McVey.

Clarke County Sheriff's Department Chief Investigator Ron Baggette said the horses' owner reported finding the wounded animals on Wednesday. All the horses sustained puncture wounds.

"The owner said one of the horses is now blind," Baggette said.

All four horses are under veterinary care for their wounds. The animals have been relocated from the pasture where the attack occurred, Baggette said.

If caught those responsible could face animal cruelty and other charges, he said.

The Humane Society of the United States is offering a reward of up to $2,500 for information leading to the identification, arrest, and conviction of those responsible for the attack.

Anyone with information about the incident should call the Clarke County Crimewatch Hotline at 251-275-8132.

If you have information on this case, please contact:
Clarke County Crimewatch Hotline
251-275-8132

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Bestiality, sexual exploitation of children: Doraville, GA (US) - Jun 2, 2011

Incident Date: Thursday, Jun 2, 2011
County: Dekalb

Charges: Misdemeanor, Felony CTA, Felony Non-CTA
Disposition: Alleged

Alleged: John David Norman

A 56-year-old DeKalb County man is accused of having sex with two dogs and possessing images of naked children.

John David Norman, of Doraville, was being held at the DeKalb County jail on $110,000 bond Friday afternoon. At an earlier court appearance, a judge issued a temporary protective order prohibiting Norman from coming in contact with children under 18, domestic animals and livestock.

"Officers were called to a location where Mr. Norman was reported acting in a suspicious manner," Doraville Officer Gene Callaway told Channel 2 Action News.

Inside the Bonnie Avenue home, officers found a videotape with footage of Norman having sex with two German Shepherds, according to an arrest warrant obtained by Channel 2. Investigators also found a computer disc with images of naked children.

Norman has been charged with sexual exploitation of children, bestiality and aggravated cruelty to animals.

Norman is the son of former longtime Doraville mayor Jesse Norman.

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20-30 sickly cats in home: Cortland, NY (US) - Jun 2, 2011

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Incident Date: Thursday, Jun 2, 2011
County: Cortland

Disposition: Alleged
Case Images: 1 files available

Abuser names unreleased

A black and white cat with almond-shaped green eyes looked out from behind cage bars Thursday afternoon at 17 Water St., one of 20 cats rescued from the house during the afternoon.

Approximately five cats who were more difficult to remove remained in the house this morning and will be caught by humane traps, said animal cruelty officials.

An emergency medical services call at the residence earlier Thursday morning revealed unsanitary conditions at the home, prompting the house to be condemned, officials said.

Cortland Community Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals workers and Cortland Fire Department officials, wearing masks and dressed in protective suits, loaded cats into carriers throughout the afternoon.

The cats were transported to the SPCA shelter, where they will be examined by a veterinarian. The cats appeared thin and some had respiratory problems, said SPCA shelter manager Sandy Snyder.

Several cats meowed from behind the bars of their carriers, stretching their paws through openings in the cage.

Snyder said the shelter received the call from the Cortland Police Department, which had responded to the scene of an EMS call when the elderly lady who lived there had to be hospitalized. She lived in the house with her son, according to responders.

Snyder said the gray house, with green trim and a blue tarp on the roof, was filthy inside, with cat feces "everywhere," messy litter boxes and cat food strewn about.

SPCA Animal Cruelty Investigator Bill Carr said that no charges have been pressed against the cats' owners so he did not disclose their name.

The house is listed under Donald Foster, though neighbors said the woman's husband recently died.

The cats' owners could face misdemeanor animal cruelty charges for keeping the animals in unsanitary and unhealthful conditions, Carr said.

City Code Enforcement Director Chief William Knickerbocker said the house was posted as unsafe because of numerous issues.

"It just so happens that in this case there's a collection of combustibles and an immediate concern over cleanliness and sanitary conditions inside the house," Knickerbocker said.

Cortland Fire Department Capt. Michael Ten Kate said structural issues were also discovered on site.

"The foundation is collapsing. The primary mission yesterday was to get the people and animals out of it (the house)," Ten Kate said, adding that it is not yet known what will become of the site in the long run.

Knickerbocker said that in cases like this, the county works to put the people up in a hotel or at the American Red Cross temporarily. When a house is condemned, Knickerbocker said, the owner must take measures to restore it to a livable condition, or, in a worst-case scenario, it could be destroyed.

Carr said the animals were being taken from the residence Thursday because the owners had consented to having the home checked and signed the cats over to the shelter. Since the property was deemed to have unfit living conditions, the animals were removed. The animals would be, ideally, adopted out after they are given a clean bill of health by a veterinarian, Carr said.

He compared the situation to a 2006 hoarding case on Wheeler Avenue, in which a cat clinic was shut down after approximately 300 cats were removed from the premises. Although not as large in scope, Carr said the current case was a similar example of someone collecting animals in a fashion that could be classified as hoarding.

Neighbors described the owners as good people who let the situation get out of hand.

"We used to have a lot of stray cats around and she would feed them, then she might have tried to take them in the house and it got away from them," said Virginia Fleischman, a neighbor who lives on Sands Street.

Another neighbor, who declined to be identified, said they were "nice people" who tried to feed, shelter and protect the stray cats in the neighborhood.

The street was blocked off by fire trucks for part of the afternoon Thursday, as the rescue operation went on. The fire department determined the fumes, such as ammonia, were not of high enough levels to require oxygen tanks but some rescuers donned respirators or paper masks.

Snyder said this morning that most of the cats had dental issues but all appeared friendly.

A veterinarian will give the cats a thorough examination over the weekend, said Snyder, determining which ones could be adopted out.

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Puppy stolen, dropped on head: Waldo, FL (US) - Jun 6, 2011

Incident Date: Monday, Jun 6, 2011
County: Alachua

Disposition: Alleged

Alleged: Franklin J. Buck

A man with an extensive and violent criminal history was picked up Monday on suspicion of dropping a puppy on its head while he was trying to steal the month-old animal.

Franklin J. Buck, 51, of 14907 NE 141st St. in Waldo, was arrested by the Waldo Police Department on suspicion of animal cruelty, burglary and grand theft.

Officer Jeff Pedrick was dispatched to a home a few blocks from Buck's residence because a man had apparently tried to steal a puppy valued at $500.

The daughter of the owner of the puppy said she noticed a man walking to the front of her mother's home carrying the puppy, which had been in a pen behind the home. The woman said that when she confronted the man about the puppy, he dropped it and ran off.

The puppy landed on its head, which began to bleed. Pedrick said the animal had a large lump on the top of its head.

Pedrick caught up with Buck a few blocks away and took him back to the puppy's home where he was identified as the suspect. Buck was being held at the Alachua County Jail on Tuesday.

Florida Department of Corrections records show Buck has served five state prison terms since 1979 for crimes including sexual battery with a weapon or force, multiple convictions for battery on a law enforcement officer, kidnapping, leaving the scene of a crash with serious injury, DUI and grand theft auto.

He was most recently released from prison in 2007.

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15 dogs, 2 cats found inside van, 1 dead: Tewksbury, MA (US) - Jun 7, 2011

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Incident Date: Tuesday, Jun 7, 2011
County: Middlesex

Disposition: Alleged
Case Images: 1 files available

Alleged: Margo Malpher

Case Updates: 2 update(s) available

A disturbing discovery at a Tewksbury motel revealed more than a dozen animals in dangerous conditions.

Authorities said that one dog died, while three others are fighting for their lives. A woman is now charged with putting the animals in danger.

Police said a woman stopped at a motel in Tewksbury after leaving her home in Maine when she found out there might be an animal cruelty investigation launched against here there. She put all of her animals in the van, only to wind up in the same trouble in Massachusetts.

Animal cruelty charges were filed against a woman after guests at a motel in Tewksbury noticed something very wrong with the van parked outside her room.

"When the police opened it up I was like…there's 15 more dogs," said one man.

Police said 71-year-old Margot Nickerson let two cats and 15 dogs locked in her van at the height of midday heat. One of the dogs didn't make it.

Guests said they spotted Nickerson carrying the dead dog into her room and alerted hotel management.

"She was crying. She brought him inside. But it was too late," said one witness.

"The car there was like at least two inches, three inches, of this feces all like…trash…all in the van was like disgusting," said Shyke Jarteh, a motel guest.

The MSPCA, Animal Control and police responded to the incident. Nickerson was arrested on the scene.

"When the officer opened the vehicle, the dogs inside were in real bad shape. They all looked like they were suffering from heat exhaustion," said Chief Timothy Sheehan of the Tewksbury Police Department.

Guests said some of the dogs were foaming at the mouth from dehydration and were too weak to move.

"They couldn't even stand. The cops were like holding them up and they'd just fall back down," said James Douglas, motel guest.

Guests said the owner seemed oblivious to just how terrible the conditions were for her animals.

"Inside the van she has the bench seats and she had kennels in the bottom in the back and the middle…the kennels were stack on top of each other," said Douglas.

Nickerson is staying at the motel on Tuesday night after posting bail.

A 71-year-old woman accused of mistreating her dogs and cats at a Tewksbury motel was convicted of animal cruelty in Maine last fall, and was free pending an appeal.

Margot Nickerson was arrested on Tuesday when a motel guest called police to complain animals were left in her van. Police and animal control took 15 dogs and three cats from Nickerson. One dog died. Nickerson's attorney, Paul King, said his client has surrendered all the surviving dogs and cats to the MSPCA.

On Wednesday, Judge Michael Brooks set Nickerson's bail at $1,000 cash or $10,000 surety. If she posts bail she is not to own any small animals.

Bail was set after prosecutors said Nickerson had a prior conviction. The Bangor Daily News reported last December that Nickerson was sentenced to five years in jail with all but 10 days suspended, and ordered to pay $13,000 in restitution to the state of Maine. She appealed that decision, and was free.

The state seized 20 dogs and a cat from her home in 2006. Nickerson filed a $100 million lawsuit against the governor of Maine and a number of other state and local officials, alleging the state stole her dogs. The Maine Supreme Judicial Court determined in February 2008 that the state had the right to seize the animals.

Nickerson also has used the name Margot Kathleen Nickerson-Malpher, according to the Bangor Daily News. She gave police a South Dakota address, but also lists a family camp in Topsfield, Me.

A South Dakota woman has pleaded not guilty to leaving two cats and more than a dozen dogs in a van outside a motel for nearly six hours on a day when temperatures reached the high 80s.

Margot Nickerson-Malpher, of Sioux Falls, S.D., was ordered held Wednesday on $1,000 cash bail by a Lowell District Court judge on 18 counts of animal cruelty. The judge also ordered the 71-year-old not to possess any animals.

Tewksbury police said they found the animals in the hot van with windows cracked open. Police say some had trouble walking and others had to be hosed down.

Police said at least one dog died.

Nickerson-Malpher told police she was driving from Maine back to South Dakota.

A pre-trial conference is scheduled Aug. 9.

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Cat Litter Box Health

Teens admit to shooting at least 50 cats: Battle Ground, WA (US) - Jun 5, 2011

Incident Date: Sunday, Jun 5, 2011
County: Clark

Disposition: Alleged

Alleged:
» Jaren M. Koistinen
» Riley J. Munger
» Mitchell S. Kangas

Case Updates: 1 update(s) available

An investigation by Battle Ground Police into a cat being shot Sunday led to the arrest of three teens who are allegedly responsible for five cases of cats being shot in the area.

At just before 8 p.m. June 5, Battle Ground police were investigating a report that a cat had been shot in the 700 block of Northeast 3rd Avenue. Police saw a vehicle attempting to leave the area that matched the vehicle description of a suspect. Police were able to catch up to the vehicle and stopped it in the 400 block of Northwest Onsdorff Blvd.

As police approached the blue Ford Explorer, they saw several .22 caliber shell casings. The three males in the vehicle -- two of whom are 16 and one of whom is 17 -- were taken into custody and booked into juvenile detention. Criminal charges of drive by shooting, unlawful discharge of a firearm, animal cruelty and possession of a loaded weapon in a vehicle are being filed. Two .22 caliber rifles were recovered from the vehicle along with several hundred rounds of ammunition. One of the rifles was loaded when it was recovered by the officers.

This investigation will close five cases from the last few months of cats being reported shot within Battle Ground City limits and several others just outside City limits. The three boys admitted to shooting at least 50 cats. Further investigations are ongoing with Clark County Sheriff's department.

Three teenagers who were expected to be appear in court this morning on charges relating to an alleged shooting rampage of 100 cats agreed to postpone their arraignment until June 28.

Mitchell S. Kangas, 16, Jaren M. Koistinen, 16, and Riley J. Munger, 17, will be formally charged at 1:30 p.m. June 28 in Clark County Superior Court.

Prosecutors have yet to file charges, but have said they are considering charges of drive-by shooting and animal cruelty among other allegations.

Koistinen and Kangas are sophomores at Battle Ground High School and Munger is a junior at La Center High School.

The three were arrested Sunday night in Battle Ground after a resident reported that her cat was shot in the face. She saw the shooters and described their SUV to police, according to court documents.

When the teens' Ford Explorer was stopped by a police officer minutes later, a loaded rifle and several hundred rounds of ammunition were found inside, according to Battle Ground police. When questioned, Kangas allegedly admitted to shooting 50 cats in northern Clark County over the past two months, according to court documents.

Senior Deputy Prosecutor Camara Banfield said at the teens' first court appearance that investigators believe at least 100 cats were shot.

All three have been released from the Clark County Jail after posting bond.

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Cat Food