Rodney J. Blanchard had a guest over at his home whom he asked to get a beer out of the freezer. When the woman opened the ice box door instead of finding brewskies, she found four small kittens. Blanchard, a 49-year-old St. Petersburg resident, has now been arrested on four charges of animal cruelty and one charge of battery.
The incident happened Sunday, and the woman, 38-year-old Eva Mulder, at first informed Blanchard that she couldn't find any beer in the freezer. Blanchard told her to take a closer look, and informed her that there were kittens in the freezer instead. Mulder tried to remove the cats, but Blanchard pushed her aside and told her to leave.
According to a new release, Mulder then went home and called police
Deputies arrived and heard meowing coming form the freezer. The four kittens, all about six months old were stuffed inside individual sandwich bags.
One of the kittens, a calico and white female, was not responding. The rest, three male orange and white kittens, were shriveling. One was having trouble breathing. Deputies wrapped the kittens in a blanket and turned them over to the emergency veterinary care center. The SPCA eventually took in the three cats that survived.
Blanchard is now charged with four counts felony cruelty to animals and one count of misdemeanor battery for pushing Mulder.
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