Maple Grove man sentenced for beating girlfriend's cat

A Maple Grove man has been sentenced to 30 days in jail for animal cruelty and abandonment for the beating of his girlfriend's cat, which had to be euthanized.

Last update: November 19, 2009 - 11:27 PM

A Maple Grove man has been sentenced to 30 days in jail for animal cruelty and abandonment for the beating of his girlfriend's cat, which had to be euthanized, as well as the disappearance of three other cats she owned. One was a kitten that he allegedly dabbed pepper spray in its eyes before it vanished from the girlfriend's Eagan home.

Ryan J. Wolcott, 25, was sentenced Monday in Dakota County District Court for abandonment of one or more cats, which is a misdemeanor, and with mistreatment of an animal, a felony. He admitted squeezing his girlfriend's cat and hitting it against a bathtub, according to court documents.

The woman, who was not named in court papers, told Eagan police that her boyfriend had been living with her since early 2008. Two other cats also disappeared during that time.

JOY POWELL

Recent West Metro stories

West metro town briefs - November 19, 2009

West metro town briefs - Interfaith Outreach and Community Partners' 2009 Sleep Out fundraiser received donations totaling $1.41 million, up from last year's total of $1.34 million, the Wayzata-based nonprofit says. More