6 cats die when man surrenders them to shelter in bin and suitcase, cops say
An Ozona man is facing animal cruelty charges after detectives say six cats died because he brought them to an animal shelter in a bin and a suitcase.
On March 8, Pinellas County Animal Services reported that Ian Everett Bender, 36, surrendered seven cats to the SPCA at 9099 130th Ave. N. in Largo, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release. Arrest affidavits state that five cats were in a plastic bin with the lid on, and two were in a small suitcase that was zipped up. There were no holes in the bin or the suitcase to allow the animals to breathe, the affidavits state.
Five of the cats were dead upon arrival, and another had to be euthanized because of its “poor condition,” the affidavits state. The only surviving cat had an internal temperature of 106 degrees Fahrenheit.
Detectives believe the cats were in the bin and the suitcase for at least an hour without proper airflow or ventilation. The cats were wet to the touch from condensation, urine and feces, indicating that they were alive when they were placed in the bin and suitcase, the affidavits state.
According to the arrest affidavits, Bender was taking care of the cats while a friend was on vacation. The owner told detectives that all of the cats were under 18 months old and in good health. After about a week and a half, Bender said he got tired of caring for the animals and planned to surrender them. He told detectives he placed them in the bin and the suitcase because he did not have any animal carriers.
Bender is facing seven charges of animal cruelty. He turned himself in at the Pinellas County Jail on Wednesday and was released on his own recognizance later that day. Court records show he has hired an attorney, who has entered a not guilty plea on his behalf.
