ASHWAUBENON, WI (WTAQ) – A person is in custody after a cat was found near death in Ashwaubenon.
45-year-old Elizabeth Bartlett is facing multiple misdemeanor charges for mistreatment of an animal.
Captain Jody Crocker of Ashwaubenon Public Safety said a citizen heard a meowing coming from inside a dumpster at the Creekwood Apartments in the 2700 block of Viking Drive.
He said what was thought to be a cat in distress was a cat that near death.
“Whoever did this had the intent of that cat being destroyed.”
The citizen reports he dug through and beneath many full garbage bags until he saw the box near the bottom of the dumpster.
The citizen reported that the box which was about 12 inches by 12 inches.
Crocker says that is because the cat was found covered in its own urine and was placed inside a bag with a small pillow and the bag was placed in a small box which was sealed shut with packing tape.
“This was not an accident,” Crocker said. “That box was not going to be opened.”
He added that the citizen that found the cat said he would not have been able to even open the box if he did not have a knife on him.
Law enforcement was able to track down the cat’s owner through some evidence that was on the box and a microchip that was placed in the cat before it was adopted.
“That chip identified the owner of the cat and where the cat came from. The Humane Society was then able to give us the name of the cat which is Spencer. ”
Records show Spencer was adopted a few months ago by Bartlett from the Bay Area Humane Society. Crocker called the situation disheartening.
“This cat did not choose this owner, this owner chose this cat.”
Crocker says animal mistreatment will not be tolerated and pet owners who decide to move on from their pets have multiple options available to them.
“There are many different avenues to do that including social media and going right back to the humane society.”
Administration at the Bay Area Humane Society says they will never turn down a surrendered animal.
Spencer is currently being treated at the Bay Area Humane Society and is said to be recovering well.
