Tacoma woman who allegedly abandoned cats to remain free
ADAM LYNN
Not-guilty pleas were entered Friday on behalf of a Tacoma woman charged with abandoning two kittens that later starved to death in her apartment.
Pierce County Superior Court Commissioner Meagan Foley allowed Rachel Dudley, 25, to remain free on her personal recognizance pending trial. Foley did require Dudley to report to jail to have her fingerprints and photograph taken.
She also prohibited Dudley from owning any pets until further order of the court.
Prosecutors allge Dudley left the two kittens in her unit of a complex in the 3500 block of South Orchard Street some time in March.
The manager of the complex found the emaciated kittens March 28 when she conducted an “occupancy check” of the apartment after not having seen Dudley there for some time, court records show.
The woman called Dudley, who said she would return to take care of the animals, the records show.
The manager went back to the apartment April 6 and found one of the kittens dead and the other so sick from hunger and dehydration it had to be euthanised, the records show.
Prosecutors earlier this month charged Dudley with two counts of first-degree animal cruelty, a felony.
She allegedly told investigators she’d forgotten about the kittens after a bad break-up with her boyfriend, court records show.
Her attorney, Scott Moriarity, declined to comment on her behalf Friday.
“We just got the reports, and I haven’t had an opportunity to review them,” he said.
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