A Chandler man was arrested on suspicion of kicking a 6-week-old kitten, causing it serious injuries.
Police report Nicholas Grayson Calfy, 23, was booked into jail on animal cruelty and drug possession charges.
On Tuesday morning, police learned someone was seen on video chasing a kitten through a parking lot of a car wash near US 60 and Country Club Drive. The person then cornered the kitten and allegedly kicked it four times.
The kitten was seen in a dazed condition and could no longer run or defend itself, police report. The kitten was seen trembling on the ground.
The suspect left for a few minutes and then returned to look at the kitten while smoking a cigarette.
Staff members in the area found the kitten about eight hours after the incident and took it to a vet. The kitten sustained head trauma, trauma-induced hyphema — described as pooling or collection of blood inside the anterior chamber of the eye — and neurological tremors.
Mr. Calfy was located and admitted that the person in the video was him. However, he denied remembering what happened and that he was drunk at the time.
Police found methamphetamine in his backpack prior to booking him into jail. He was released on his own recognizance.
It was not immediately not known what will happen to the kitten.
Gov. Doug Ducey in May signed HB 2671 into law that will strengthen penalties for those who abuse domestic animals. Animal cruelty charges are usually a class 6 felony.
“Animal cruelty is despicable — and Arizona will not tolerate it,” Mr. Ducey stated on Twitter.