In Belmont County, a young man reportedly beat a tiny kitten to death, then put it in a plastic bag and buried it.
Officials say it happened in the Jacobsburg Trailer Court on O-R-and-W Street.
Belmont County Dog Warden Verna Painter took the county humane officer to the scene, where they dug up the evidence and got a confession from the 19-year-old pet owner.
"Because of the severity of the case with beating and death, I thought we should both go, so myself and the humane officer went over," said Painter. "We dug the kitten up and questioned the gentleman about the beating. At first he denied it, but finally he did confess that he beat the kitten to death because it scratched him."
Painter said the kitten was between eight and 12 weeks old.
She said a veterinarian did a post-mortem and determined that it died of neck, back and internal injuries.
Painter says the owner, 19-year-old Dakota Mercer of Jacobsburg is charged with one count of animal cruelty.
She says Mercer and his girlfriend owned another cat, which Painter took away from them.
She says that surviving cat is now available for adoption at the animal shelter.
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