The Carter County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a man Tuesday on animal cruelty charges after it was reported that he had pulled a kitten’s nails out, shaved its head, and possibly kicked it.

According to court documents, Ryan Christopher Garland, 114 Vanover Road, Apt. 15, Johnson City, was charged pursuant to an affidavit of complaint with cruelty to animals.

The complaint states that CCSO Deputy Thomas Hill arrived at the Carter County Animal Shelter on an animal abuse complaint and spoke with several people who had brought the animal to the shelter.

Caitlyn Charlton, Madison Shuffler, Shanna Morris, and Hailey Presnell all told Hill that they believed the cat to be abused. The complaint narrative reads: “They stated they believed a Mr. Ryan Garland had pulled the kitten’s claws out, attempted to shave the kitten’s head, and cut off its whiskers.”

Documents say that Shuffler found the kitten Tuesday morning wrapped up in a towel laying on Garland’s bed.

Shuffler also told Hill that she believed the kitten was dead at the time due it appearing not to breathe.

Hill said that he then spoke with a vet tech at the shelter, who told him that the kitten’s claws had been forcibly removed and it was having difficulty breathing consistent with being kicked or thrown against something.

Charlton told the deputy that Garland was the only one around the kitten at the time, and has made several statements about “resolving the issues” of a litter of kittens that was under his trailer.

Presnell also added that Garland did not want the kitten seen by anyone.

While Presnell was talking to Hill, Charlton showed him a text message she had just received from Garland that read “I did have a piece of methadone on my night stand and I do not see it anymore reckon she (the kitten) could have gotten into that.”

Animal Shelter Director Shannon Posada told an Elizabethton Star reporter that this was the worst case of animal abuse she had ever seen.

Garland’s bond was set at $1,000, but he remains in jail with an expected arraignment date of August 12.