Florida: Roberto Poli put two kittens in a bucket, covered it with a tub, and left them to slowly die - killing one, say police

FLORIDA -- A suburban Boynton Beach man trapped two kittens in a bucket outdoors on a hot, humid day because he was “tired of cats” coming onto his property, according to a Palm Beach County report charging him with four counts of animal cruelty.

One of the kittens was euthanized following the May incident at Roberto Poli’s home, Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control said. The other cat eventually recovered, but did not eat on its own for nine days after being rescued, according to the report.

Roberto H. Poli, 63, was arrested Monday and charged with two felony counts of cruelty to animals and two counts of unlawful abandonment of an animal. He was released from the Palm Beach County Jail after posting a $6,000 bond.

According to an Animal Care and Control report made public Tuesday, officers responded at about 1:15 p.m. May 2 to Poli’s home in Greater Boynton Place, a community west of Military Trail and south of Boynton Beach Boulevard, after a neighbor reported that Poli had a dog unattended in his backyard.

The heat index — the “feels-like” combination of air temperature and relative humidity — that day was 88, the report said.

An animal-care officer who responded to do a welfare check on Poli's dog heard what sounded like a kitten crying and saw a gray plastic bucket with a blue recycle bin turned upside down in Poli’s backyard, according to the report. 

The officer questioned Poli about the bucket, and he admitted to putting two kittens inside because he was upset they were on his property. He told the officer he put the kittens in the bucket at about 4:30 a.m. that morning, according to the report.

Poli took the officer to the bucket, revealing the two kittens laying in the bottom. The officer described the kittens as wet and panting. The smaller of the two kittens was too weak to move, and both were taken to a veterinarian for evaluation.

The vet determined the smaller kitten was not responding to treatment and opted to euthanize the animal to prevent further suffering, the report said.

ARREST INFO:
Full Name: Roberto Poli
Gender: Male
Race: Hispanic
Block: 5500 Boynton Pl
City: Boynton Beach, Florida 33437
Birthdate: 06/04/1954
Arrest Age: 63
Arrest Date: 07/24/2017
Arrest Time: 11:34 AM
Arresting Agency: PBSO
Location: Palm Beach County, Florida
Charges
#1 CONSERVATION-ANIMALS - CAUSE CRUEL DEATH PAIN AND SUFFERING
STATUTE: 828.12-3009

#2 CONSERVATION-ANIMALS - CAUSE CRUEL DEATH PAIN AND SUFFERING
STATUTE: 828.12-3009

#3 CONSERVATION-ANIMALS - IMPOUND CONFINE ANIMAL WO SUFFICENT FOOD WATER
STATUTE: 828.13-8115

#4 CONSERVATION-ANIMALS - IMPOUND CONFINE ANIMAL WO SUFFICENT FOOD WATER
STATUTE: 828.13-8115

(Palm Beach Post - July 26, 2017)