Bass Pro Shops employee fired after putting kitten in freezer

By Chelsea Cook

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

An employee of  Bass Pro Shops at Discover Mills has been fired after putting a sick or dead kitten in the store's freezer, a company spokesman said Thursday.

After a coworker of the female employee found the kitten frozen and lifeless, over $2,500 worth of ice cream had to be thrown out.

Bass Pro Shops national spokesman Larry Whiteley said three kittens were found behind the store in June, two of which were healthy and taken home by employees. The third kitten, which was not healthy, was placed in the store's freezer -- but the employee's motive is still under investigation.

"We don't know if [the kitten] died before it was placed in the freezer, or if it died in there, " Whiteley said. " But there is no blame being put on Bass Pro Shops. "

The employee was fired shortly after the kitten was found.

Animal Control and Gwinnett police are investigating the incident, Gwinnett police spokesman Brian Kelly said.

"If the investigation does prove any criminal wrongdoing on the employee's part, then certainly charges will be brought against them," Kelly told the AJC.