A 23-year-old Des Moines woman, Madison Cherry, has been arrested on multiple charges after police say she abandoned two cats and a bearded dragon in an apartment following her eviction. One of the cats was found dead; the others were severely neglected with no access to food or water.
The surviving cat was emaciated and dehydrated, scoring 2 out of 9 on a standard body condition scale. Cherry faces five charges related to animal neglect and abandonment, with serious injury or death. She is being held in the Polk County Jail on $100,000 bond. A preliminary hearing is set for May 15.
