A Farmington man is facing a felony charge after deputies say he repeatedly struck a kitten, leaving the animal with a broken leg.
The Ontario County Sheriff’s Office said deputies responded to a reported domestic incident at a residence on Loomis Road after 5 p.m. Dec. 25. During the investigation, deputies contacted the Ontario County Humane Society after discovering a 5-month-old kitten had been injured.
Authorities said 30-year-old Keaghn Picaro admitted to striking the kitten several times throughout the day because the animal would not use a litter box. Deputies observed the kitten, named Smokey, with a visibly swollen right hind leg that required medical attention.
The kitten was seized by the Humane Society and taken for evaluation, where it was determined Smokey had suffered a fractured right hind leg, according to investigators.
Picaro was already being held at the Ontario County Jail awaiting arraignment on unrelated charges when he was additionally charged with aggravated cruelty to animals, a felony.
The kitten remains in the care of the Ontario County Humane Society, where he is receiving treatment for his injuries.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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