Girlfriend's Cat Stomped To Death, Pasco Sheriff's Deputy Arrested

TAMPA, FL — A Pasco County sheriff's deputy is facing felony animal cruelty charges after being accused of stomping his girlfriend's cat to death.

According to the Tampa Police Department, on Aug. 21, Eric Harris got into an argument with his then-girlfriend of six months after they moved into an apartment in Tampa because he said his girlfriend's two cats were pooping outside their litter box and jumping onto counters and furniture.

The following day, the deputy's girlfriend returned to the apartment shortly after 7 p.m. and found both cats hiding in their crate. When she pulled a 3-year-old male cat named Axel out of the crate, she saw that the toenails on his rear paws were broken and bloody and the cat was unable to stand using his rear legs.

She immediately took the cat to his veterinarian and, after examining Axel, the veterinarian recommended that the cat be taken to an urgent care animal hospital where the cat was euthanized.

Due to the severity of the injuries, the animal hospital contacted Tampa police.

When he was initially questioned by detectives, they said Harris denied any wrongdoing and claimed the cat was fine during the time he was alone in the apartment with him.

On Aug. 26, a necropsy was conducted by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, which found that Axel suffered severe hemorrhaging and bruising to internal organs, facial injuries, including a missing tooth, and markings were found on his body indicating that he had been stomped.

The cause of death was ruled as blunt force trauma.

Harris was arrested by Tampa police Wednesday.