The Humane Society rescuers who saved the "zombie cat" last week are trying to keep the feline from going back to his owner.
Bart the cat, dubbed "zombie cat," crawled out of a grave that his owner, Ellis Hutson, buried him in last week.
After Bart got hit by a car, Hutson swore his beloved pet was dead and him. To Hutson's dismay, Bart emerged from his grave five days later severely injured and covered in dirt.
Hutson brought Bart to the Humane Society to be treated because he was unable to afford the fees of local veterinary clinics, according to the Humane Society's website.
Although Hutson promises to keep Bart indoors after his surgery at the Humane Society in Tampa, Fla., rescuers from the society are expressing concerns that the Hutson residence is not the best place for Bart to be living.
"Recently we have learned new information about Bart's home environment and the circumstances leading up to his burial," the Humane Society wrote on its website. "Therefore, the Humane Society of Tampa Bay does not intend to return Bart to the Hutson family. We are prepared to fight for the best interests of this cat. We hope the Hutson family will do the right thing and surrender Bart to our care so that we can find an appropriate environment for him to live out his life."
As of now, it appears that Hutson is going to fight to get his cat back.
"Bart is our family pet. Of course I want him back," Hutson told WFLA, a local news channel that's affiliated with NBC.
"All I want ... is my cat home," Hutson added.
Since Bart arrived at the shelter, he was treated for a broken jaw, open facial wounds and a ruined eye, which was removed on Jan. 27. He survived the surgery, though he was struggling with anemia on Jan. 29. Another shelter cat, Draco, was a donor for a blood transfusion to help Bart's recovery. Both cats are "happy and resting comfortably," according to the Humane Society's website.
The surgery was funded by the Humane Society's own Save-A-Pet Medical Fund and it claims to have no affiliation with the Go Fund Me page in Bart's name.
