Fremont man suspected of shooting cat

FREMONT — Law enforcement recently charged a Fremont man for allegedly fatally shooting a cat. Sandusky County sheriff's deputies arrested Blake M. Meyers, 31, of the 1300 block of Cherry St., on Sept. 24 on a warrant following a May 2025 indictment by a Sandusky County grand jury on one count of cruelty to companion animals, a fifth-degree felony. According to Meyers' indictment, the alleged crimes occurred in early December 2024 when Meyers allegedly knowingly caused "serious physical harm" to a female domestic longhaired cat. Background The investigation into Meyers first began on Dec. 3, 2024, when Sandusky County dog warden Kelly Askins requested assistance from Fremont police in downloading surveillance footage from a Cherry Street residence that allegedly caught Meyers shooting a cat, according to a Fremont police report. The home's residents told the officer that they were reviewing their home surveillance footage on the evening of Dec. 1 when they allegedly observed a white cat walking through Meyers' yard and someone coming out of the house and appearing to shoot the feline. The officer reviewed the footage provided by the residents and confirmed their statements, the report states. "Once the cat was hit, the cat was seen flying in the air and someone threw it out in the yard," the report states. After reviewing the footage, the home residents said they went to the side of Meyers' yard near the sidewalk and allegedly found "a bunch of fur and blood," according to the report. The residents told the officer that they took photos of the cat and placed it inside a box, and set it on their porch until police arrived. Askins advised the homeowners that she was going to take the cat and have it autopsied. On Dec. 27, the officer was informed of the cat's autopsy results and found the following injuries, according to the report: • The cat suffered multiple penetrative wounds on the neck, shoulder and pelvis. • The cat suffered from severe muscular trauma and multiple fractures in its vertebrae, humerus, pelvis and tail. After reviewing the autopsy results, the officer visited Meyers' residence to discuss what allegedly occurred, but Meyers denied having any knowledge of the incident, the report states. On Sept. 26, Meyers appeared in court for an arraignment, where he pleaded not guilty. As of Thursday afternoon, Meyers has been released from the Sandusky County Jail on his own recognizance, according to court records. He has an upcoming court hearing scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on Oct. 23.