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 Bart the cat, nicknamed "zombie cat" on social media, made
international headlines last month when he surfaced five days after
he was hit by a car and buried for dead.
He was initially expected to return home after surgery at the Humane
Society's veterinary clinic, where Bart was treated for a broken jaw
and facial injuries. One of his eyes had to be removed.
[ID:nL1N0V72FP]
But the agency, which is chronicling Bart's recovery online in a
blog, http://humanesocietytampa.org/blog/, decided not to return the
cat to its owner after learning more about "circumstances leading up
to his burial," the agency said.
Bart's owner, Ellis Hutson of Tampa, filed a court motion earlier
this week to demand the return of the black and white pet. Hutson
claimed the society's leadership sought to use Bart for fundraising,
according to court filings provided to Reuters by the Humane
Society.
The motion said Bart's owner was not being allowed to visit the
feline, nor receiving updates about his condition. Hutson could not
immediately be reached for comment.
The Humane Society disclosed the legal action on its website and
said it reviewing legal options. Bart remained in the agency's care
on Wednesday, officials said.
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The agency has received donations from around the world that helped
to pay for Bart's care, according to its blog, which earlier had
noted that Bart's owner could not afford other veterinary providers.
In a later blog post, the society said animal welfare investigators
were going to evaluate the Hutson home.
A welfare check was conducted at the residence, according to the
Hillsborough County Pet Resource Center. A spokeswoman said officers
found two mixed-breed dogs in good health and there is no
investigation.
(Reporting by Letitia Stein; Editing by Bill Trott)
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