NORTH RIDGEVILLE - The head of an animal welfare organization said she wants the city to fire one of its part-time humane officers for shooting a litter of feral kittens yesterday as the homeowner's children listened. However, Police Chief Mike Freeman cleared the officer of wrongdoing.

An executive with the Ohio Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said a witness told her that before shooting the kittens, the humane officer allegedly said the cats would be going to "kitty heaven."

The Facebook pages for both the Ohio Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the North Ridgeville Police Department Tuesday had numerous angry comments directed toward the police department and the humane officer involved in the shooting.

A Vista Lake Way resident contacted the North Ridgeville Police Department June 10 to complain that a family of cats made a home in a wood pile on the property. Within 20 minutes of the complaint, Humane Officer Barry Accorti arrived at the home, police said.

The North Ridgeville Police Department said that Accorti euthanized the kittens.

Ohio SPCA Director Teresa Landon, who took a call from the woman who lives in the home, said the woman was distressed when Accorti killed five kittens in front of her while her children were inside the home. She said the youngsters began screaming and crying.

“He informed her that shelters were full and that these cats would be going to kitty heaven,” Landon said of Accorti. “She assumed he would be trapping them or something and taking them to a shelter and they would be humanely euthanized if they were not adopted.

“Instead, he went to his truck and got a gun, which she thought was a tranquilizer gun, and walked around to the back of the house and approximately 15 feet from her back door shot and killed the 8- to 10-week-old kittens . . .

“She was very distraught when this happened. He started shooting them right in front of her. Her children were upstairs in view of the windows. They started screaming and crying because they heard the gunshots. They started screaming, ‘Mommy, he’s killing the kittens,’ ” Landon said.

Landon said she would be writing a letter to the North Ridgeville Police Department and Mayor David Gillock asking that Accorti be fired and charged with animal cruelty.

“It’s heartbreaking,” Landon said. “There is no excuse for it. It’s absolutely shameful that someone with the title of humane officer would do this.”

Landon said she understood that sometimes vicious dogs attacking an officer must be shot to protect the officer or if an animal is in great pain, but neither situation applied in this case.

The North Ridgeville Police Department took down its Facebook page for several hours because it was overwhelmed with postings of threats and other inappropriate comments, police said.

Freeman released a statement Tuesday afternoon in which he supported Accorti’s actions.

“After visiting the scene, talking with the responding officer and re-interviewing the complainant, I have decided his actions were appropriate and have decided not to impose any disciplinary measures for the incident,” Freeman said.

Accorti has more than 30 years of law enforcement experience, Freeman said.

The homeowner, who was not identified by the SPCA or police, told Accorti the feral cats were causing flea problems within the residence, a foul odor and leaving dead wildlife in her yard, Freeman said. The officer told the woman that because of her concerns, including concerns about diseases feral cats can develop and the proximity of the wood pile to her house, assistance could be rendered, but the cats would be euthanized, Freeman said.

“The complainant agreed to accept assistance and the officer started to dismantle the wood pile,” Freeman said. “The cats were located within the wood pile and euthanized.”

Freeman said the homeowner in a follow-up interview said she was aware the cats were going to be euthanized but did not expect it to occur on her property. She explained she felt overwhelmed due to her children being inside the home and hearing the gunshots.

“The complainant urged better communication in the future,” Freeman said.

“The NRPD recognizes the concern of those who believe feral cats should not be killed for simply trying to survive but also acknowledges other research that recognizes the risks associated with these animals and the need to manage feral cats,” Freeman said. “Research and other animal organizations accept shooting as an acceptable means of euthanasia.”

Freeman said the city’s police department prides itself on helping residents solve problems.

“To walk away and leave a safety issue unresolved is irresponsible,” Freeman said. “At no time does this agency condone or allow the indiscriminate killing of animals, but we will continue to assist residents when there is a safety or nuisance condition.”

Accorti received media attention about two months ago after he rescued a baby great horned owl that fell out of its nest at South Central Park and took it to a local nature center for a checkup and reintroduction to the park.

See more North Ridgeville news at cleveland.com/north-ridgeville.

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Twitter: @bgeiselman

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