A northern Kentucky man might have become the first person convicted of a
felony for killing a cat or dog in the state.
Russell Swigart pleaded guilty on Tuesday, minutes before his trial was set
to being in Covington.
The Kentucky Enquirer reported the 31-year-old Swigart entered his pleas to
two counts of torture of a dog or cat with serious physical injury or death.
The Highland Heights man was accused of breaking into a neighbor's home and
stabbing two cats to death.
As part of a plea deal, the state reduced a first-degree burglary charge to
second-degree burglary.
Swigart remains in jail. His sentencing is expected to take place late in
late November.
The higher penalty for killing pets was enacted last year after a Labrador
retriever was punched, body slammed and choked in southeastern Kentucky.
Information from: The Kentucky Enquirer, http://www.nky.com
SEATTLE -- The man accused of trying to gut a cat that belongs to a South
Seattle church has changed his plea.
Tracy Clark originally entered a not guilty plea to a first-degree animal
cruelty charge in May for the April 20 attack that left Scat the cat with
multiple stab wounds, including a 7-inch gash on its side.
But on Monday Clark changed his stance and entered a guilty plea.
The injured cat had been the pet therapy cat at the Cross
Church & Discipleship Center for the past eight years.
Clark, 47, said he had enrolled in rehabilitation at the church, which offers
a full-time residential discipleship program for distressed men.
Clark told deputies the cat attacked him first, forcing him to defend
himself. He said he grabbed the cat by the throat, threw it against the wall and
admitted to stabbing Scat with his own knife, according to court documents.
Another resident of the church told investigators Clark woke him up some time
after he had gone to bed on Sunday night, and said he had "gutted the cat,"
according to a police report.
Scat was taken to the intensive care unit at South Seattle Veterinary
Hospital where employee Lisa McCollough-Dutt said the animal arrived in very
poor shape.
"It makes me want to cry. Sheer horror...it's actually devastating to see a
cat or anything brutally attacked," she said.
Church members said when Scat first came to the church, he was very leery of
people. But over time, he became more socialized and eventually grew into a
lovable therapy cat.
Scat spent 10 days at the animal hospital and is still recovering.
If convicted, Clark could face up to a year in jail. Prosecutors plan to
recommend a nine-month sentence.
Clark is scheduled to be sentenced on July 17. He is being held on $50,000
bail.
Information from: http://www.Komonews.com
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