Boyle County man charged after two cats die in hot car

BOYLE COUNTY, Ky. (ABC36 NEWS NOW) — A Boyle County man is facing serious charges after two cats died from apparent heat exposure inside his vehicle.

According to the Boyle County Sheriff’s Office, 54-year-old Travis Wheeler has been charged with animal torture and cruelty. Deputies say Wheeler allegedly left his two cats inside his car for more than three hours while he was inside the emergency room at Ephraim McDowell Regional Medical Center.

Wheeler reportedly told investigators he had left the windows down. However, one cat was found dead inside a carrier in the vehicle. The second cat was taken to an emergency veterinary clinic for treatment but later died from heat exhaustion.

Officials say Wheeler had reached out to the sheriff’s office and a police captain for help shortly before the second cat was transported.