Robert Hewitt Jr., 28, of Egg Harbor Township and Joseph M. Newton Jr., 25, of Galloway Township are charged in the case.

 

Ken Brown, an Atlantic City police sergeant, was on his way to work Dec. 22 when he saw the cat being dragged behind a truck. Another cable company truck was following it. Brown, who was in Absecon at the time, alerted authorities and the trucks were stopped a short time later.

 

Brown said the cat was tied by its neck with four feet of cable wire to an Ocean Cable Group truck driven by Hewitt, who also was charged inhumane treatment of an animal. Newton was driving the other truck, officials said.

 

"I've seen some really bad things in my 27 years, but this is up there. To do something like this to an animal, it's despicable," Brown told The Press of Atlantic City. He said the cat lost one leg and its sex cannot be determined because its body was so mutilated.

Bob Mills, who owns the Somers Point-based cable company, said both men had worked there as installers for a few years. Neither worker could be reached for comment, but Mills said they told him that they did not know "what was going on" with the cat.

 

Both men were suspended and will be fired if convicted, Mills said. The case is scheduled to be heard Jan. 7 in Atlantic City Municipal Court.

 

Copyright 2003 The Associated Press