Aberdeen Man Charged in Cat Abuse Case: Police

ABERDEEN, MD – An Aberdeen man is facing animal cruelty charges, and his traumatized 1-year-old cat is being medically evaluated after a citizen alerted authorities to possible abuse.

At 11:40 p.m. on Tuesday, officers responded to a citizen's report of an injured animal and found a "severely traumatized cat" who was "water-soaked, wounded and disoriented" at the Fairbrooke Apartments in the 700 block of West Bel Air Avenue, according to the Aberdeen Police Department.

The cat had been dunked underwater in the toilet and bathtub and suffered visible physical injuries, police said, based on an investigation that included a witness interview, physical evidence and statements from the cat's owner.

"...it was determined the cat had been subjected to extreme punishment to correct behavioral issues," Aberdeen Police said in a statement.

Albert R. Knox Jr., 62, of the 700 block of West Bel Air Avenue, was charged with three offenses:

• Aggravated animal cruelty—intentionally mutilating, torturing, cruelly beating or cruelly killing an animal
• Animal cruelty—overdriving or overloading an animal, depriving an animal of necessary sustenance and inflicting unnecessary suffering or pain on an animal
• Animal cruelty—failing to provide the animal with nutritious food in sufficient quantity, necessary veterinary care, proper drink, air, space, shelter or protection

Knox was taken to the Harford County Detention Center for processing.

The cat was taken for an emergency veterinary evaluation, according to officials.

Aberdeen Police thanked the citizen who notified authorities and encouraged anyone who suspects an animal is being abused to call police.

Photo Credit: Aberdeen Police.