'Zombie Cat' Remains in Limbo

The story of a plucky little tuxedo cat who defied death when struck by a car only to be buried alive and return from the grave days later continues to take new turns as his fate hangs in the balance.

Bart made national news in January when he was brought to the Humane Society of Tampa Bay for treatment following that car accident and premature burial. While the creature required surgery to remove a damaged eye and lots of rest and relaxation, he’s well on the mend and doing well, the Humane Society reports.

Bart’s not going home anytime soon, however.

A battle for custody of the one-eyed cat is shaping up in the court system with Bart’s owner, Ellis Hutson on one side and the Humane Society on the other.

See Also:

• ‘Zombie Cat’s’ Story Won’t Die: Now Headed to Court
• ‘Zombie Cat’ May Have Been Buried Alive: Humane Society
• ‘Zombie Cat’ Case Takes Strange New Twist
• ‘Zombie Cat’ Update: How to Help Fund His Care
• ‘Zombie’ Cat Expected to Make Full Recovery
• ‘Dead’ Cat Comes Back 5 Days Later

Motions for discovery of information in the case were filed earlier this week, but no date has been set for a hearing, according to court records.

“Over the next few weeks, our legal team will conduct discovery into the circumstances surrounding his (Bart’s) situation,” the Humane Society reported on its blog.

The custody battle over the cat began to brew when the Humane Society declined to give Bart back to Hutson. While Hutson maintains he didn’t do anything wrong, the Humane Society’s executive director, Sherry Silk, has stated an environment with a small child isn’t the right place for Bart following the trauma he’s endured. She’s also indicated a belief that Bart was intentionally buried alive.

It will be up to the court to sort through the facts and determine the best place for Bart to live out his life. And, as the legal process gets under way, Bart remains in the care of the Humane Society. The agency reports he’s making new friends and “continues to do well, making great strides in his recovery.”

Stay with Patch for updates on Bart’s story as they become available.

Photo from the Humane Society of Tampa Bay’s Facebook page

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