Pike County Man Charged With Animal Cruelty

{Pikeville, Kentucky}...Ivan Damron, also known as Eyvind Darmon, 30, of Damron Ratliff Road, Regina, was arrested Thursday and charged with seven counts of animal cruelty. Pike County Animal Control officials said Friday a cat, now named "Lucky," was kept in a cage with five other cats for more than a week without food or water. Lucky, the only survivor, was forced to survive by feeding off of the dead carcasses of the other cats in the cage. Officials found the cats, along with a small black dog, under Damron’s residence. The dog, which was emaciated, and Lucky were seized by Pike County Animal Control Officer Rick Handshoe and are now being kept and treated at the animal shelter. Damron pleaded not guilty to the charges against him Friday before Pike District Judge Darrel Mullins. A pretrial hearing was scheduled for September 12th. Handshoe said animal control officers went to Damron's residence in 2009 after a report of Damron burning animals, but he refused to let officers inspect the area where items were burned, citing safety concerns. Just days later, Damron turned over a dog in poor health to the animal shelter. Handshoe says animal abuse is a growing problem in the county.