Amazon driver charged with stealing a cat when she jumps in their van

The Fox 5 video tells the story very nicely. I comment briefly below the video.

Cobb County, GA: The driver, Kearston Griggs, has be charged with theft and animal cruelty. Is it theft? It looks like it to me as the driver intended to permanently deprive the owners of their cat by enticing the cat aboard her van and driving off. She had numerous occasions when she could have returned the cat if she had changed her mind although Amazon drivers are under huge time pressure.

But she just dumped the cat in a very dangerous place where there was a lot of traffic and high-speed traffic so it is no surprise Addy was killed by a vehicle.

The case is bizarre and there is a weakness in the charge of theft. I doubt that the driver had the intent to steal Addy. It was all too casual. She abandoned Addy eventually. That indicates that she did not intend at the outset to keep the cat for herself. And she did not want to kill the cat. The cat's death was due to the driver's carelessness but it was not a deliberate act to kill Addy.

But she took Addy 30 miles away before abandoning the cat. That's probably certain enough to deprive the owners of their cat permanently which would have to be proved under the charge of theft in court.

Although, she may get off on the theft charge. But she is in breach of animal welfare laws by abandoning the cat. In some states that would be a crime in itself.

My immediate research tells me that it is a crime to abandon an animal in Georgia. Here is the relevant law:

4-11-15.1. Unlawful to abandon domestic animal

Notwithstanding the provisions of Code Section 4-11-13, it shall be unlawful for any person knowingly and intentionally to abandon any domesticated animal upon any public or private property or public right of way. This Code section shall not be construed as amending or otherwise affecting the provisions of Chapter 3 of this title, relating to livestock running at large or straying.

She could be charged with animal abandonment. At the moment that has not happened as far as I know. This may be the more certain charge in fact.

Amazon driver charged with theft of a domestic cat when the cat jumps in their van