TAMPA, Fla.
(Reuters) - The Florida cat that crawled out of its grave after a
traffic accident is now ensnared in a legal dispute over custody
involving its owner and the Humane Society of Tampa Bay.
Bart the cat, nicknamed "zombie cat" on social media, made
international headlines last month when he surfaced five days after he
was hit by a car and buried for dead.
He was initially expected to return home after surgery at
the Humane Society's veterinary clinic, where Bart was treated for a
broken jaw and facial injuries. One of his eyes had to be removed.
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But the agency, which is chronicling Bart's recovery online in a blog,
http://humanesocietytampa.org/blog/, decided not to return the cat to
its owner after learning more about "circumstances leading up to his
burial," the agency said.
The motion said Bart's owner was not being allowed to visit the feline, nor receiving updates about his condition. Hutson could not immediately be reached for comment.
The
Humane Society disclosed the legal action on its website and said it
reviewing legal options. Bart remained in the agency's care on
Wednesday, officials said.
The agency has received donations from around the world that
helped to pay for Bart's care, according to its blog, which earlier had
noted that Bart's owner could not afford other veterinary providers.
In a later blog post, the society said animal welfare investigators were going to evaluate the Hutson home.A welfare check was conducted at the residence, according to the Hillsborough County Pet Resource Center. A spokeswoman said officers found two mixed-breed dogs in good health and there is no investigation.
(Reporting by Letitia Stein; Editing by Bill Trott)
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