(WARNING- This story has disturbing details of animal cruelty and torture)
A Berea man is now in custody on animal abuse charges. The charges stem from an incident in October of last year. Hunter Richardson of the Madison County Sheriff’s Department was dispatched to an address in Berea after a report of a man mistreating an animal. At the scene, Richardson found a gray cat in a ditch with severe injuries and barely breathing.
Witnesses report that they saw James Kerby, physically abuse the cat and then throw the cat by the ears into the ditch. Kerby later stated that he had dropped a chair on the cat, laid it in the ditch, and then poured water on it.
A witness reported that Kerby had beaten and struck the cat multiple times. An Animal Control representative stated that the cat’s injuries were not consistent with only a chair being dropped on it.
Animal Control took the cat away, but sadly it died while in transport due to the severe injuries.
Kerby was charged with the Class D Felony of Torture of a cat or dog with causing physical injury or death.
James Kerby
