Two Washington C.H. men were arrested Saturday after allegedly beating a kitten to death, according to the Fayette Regional Humane Society (FRHS).

Late Saturday night, officers with the Washington C.H. Police Department and an FRHS humane agent responded to an apartment on Forest Street. Samuel N. Nye, 31, and Alex L. Hebb, 22, were charged with prohibitions concerning companion animals, a first-degree misdemeanor, and were taken to the Fayette County Jail.

According to reports, the two men attempted to break the kitten’s neck, and then its head was stomped, causing it to die. Officers and the humane agent found the kitten in a garbage container behind the residence.

“This was a horrific act of cruelty,” said Brad Adams, FRHS chief humane agent. “I believe the men are where they belong right now, and that is behind bars. Let this be a clear message that cruel acts toward animals will not be tolerated here.”

The charges made against the two men carry up to a six-month jail sentence and a $1,000 fine.