Tennessee linebacker Aaron Beasley has found himself at the center of an animal abuse investigation following an allegation from another student.
A Tennessee student started a GoFundMe page for her 6-month-old cat on Thursday after she says the kitten was badly injured and required medical attention. The student said she was in the process of moving when she returned home to find the cat, named Nugget, hiding under a dresser. She said the kitten could not walk and screamed when she picked it up.
The woman said she learned that her roommate’s boyfriend had hit and kicked the cat. Veterinarians said the kitten “has brain damage and will now have a hard time walking, he has a bleeding hemorrhage on his kidney caused from internal bleeding from being kicked, clots in his bladder, and he is currently in an oxygen tank,” according to the GoFundMe page.
While the student did not mention her roommate’s boyfriend’s name, the Knoxville Police Department confirmed to WBIR on Friday that it received a report that Beasley had abused another student’s cat. The junior has not been charged with a crime, but the incident is under investigation.
The police report states that officers spoke with the student who filed the complaint and two of her roommates, including Beasley’s girlfriend. Beasley’s girlfriend said she and the linebacker came home to find the cat eating leftover food, which was an ongoing issue. She said Beasley then locked the cat in a bathroom. The girlfriend claimed she opened the door a few hours later and the cat went running to its owner’s bedroom.
The third roommate said she was in her room the night of the incident and heard Beasley’s girlfriend tell him “you can’t do that” and start crying. The other roommate also claimed she had a text from Beasley’s girlfriend saying Beasley put the cat in the toilet. Beasley’s girlfriend told police she did not see her boyfriend do that or hit the cat.
Beasley played sparingly for the Vols last season, recording seven total tackles and a forced fumble. Unfortunately, he is not the first person linked to a college football program this year who has faced troubling animal abuse allegations.
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