Man arrested for cruelty to dog

A 38-year-old Radcliff man was arrested Tuesday on charges of animal cruelty.
Radcliff Police Department spokesman Bryce Shumate said John Robert Catoe was arrested after an officer received a complaint that Catoe had purposely tortured a dog and he was able to observe visible injuries to the dog’s head.
Catoe was charged with torture of a dog or cat, a Class A misdemeanor, for intentionally inflicting and subjecting his pet dog, Samson, to extreme physical pain and injury “by striking it about the head and choking the dog with a choke chain.”
According to witnesses, the torture continued for approximately 15 minutes. In addition, Catoe was charged with cruelty to animals in the second degree, also a Class A misdemeanor, for wantonly subjecting the dog to cruel neglect and mistreatment by failing to provide adequate space, food or drink; and by leaving the animal for 24-36 hour periods during February without food and drink and lying in its own fecal matter and vomit.
A Class A misdemeanor is punishable of up to one year in jail.
Catoe was taken to the Hardin County Detention Center where he was later released on a $200 bond.
Shumate said he did not know what type or breed of dog Samson is or the dog’s physical condition. He said he believes the dog was removed from the residence and taken to animal control.
Hardin County Animal Control Supervisor Jerry Foley said in a phone message that he could not comment on active cases and could only confirm that his department was holding a dog in relation to a cruelty case for the Radcliff Police.
Gayle Deaton can be reached at (270) 505-1740 or gdeaton@thenewsenterprise.com.

CATOE

Buy this photo