AMES, Iowa — An Ames man has been charged after police say he left his cat locked in a hot vehicle for multiple days, resulting in the cat’s death.

On September 19 at around 4:48 p.m. the Ames Police Department responded to a report of an animal locked inside of a vehicle in the 1100 block of Scott Avenue. According to court documents, responding officers, as well as animal control personnel, found a vehicle that was locked and had all of the windows rolled up. Officers also noted that “there was a foul odor emitting from the vehicle and several flies could be seen flying around on the inside,” court documents state.

When officers opened the vehicle they found a deceased cat inside of a pet carrier that was covered by a blanket, court documents state. Officers noted that the temperature inside the car at the time was 105 degrees.

According to a criminal complaint, the cat’s owner, 20-year-old Christian Michael Hansen, told officers that he left the cat inside the vehicle for two days without food and water and said he didn’t check on the cat during that time. Hansen also told officers that when he did finally check on the cat he found the cat dead, the complaint states. The cat is believed to have been dead inside the vehicle for about a week before being discovered by law enforcement and animal control.

Hansen was arrested on Friday and charged with animal neglect with serious injury or death. He is currently being held at the Story County Jail on a $1,000 cash/surety bond. A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for October 8.

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