Amy Acton's Mother Convicted of Animal Neglect in Kittens' Deaths

The estranged mother of Ohio Democrat Amy Acton was convicted in a 2021 animal neglect case after newborn kittens were found in a sweltering car, according to court records. The incident has drawn renewed attention as Republican gubernatorial rival Vivek Ramaswamy featured Acton's mother in a campaign attack ad.

Donna Arthur, Acton's mother, was found to have kept four five-day-old kittens in her vehicle, where temperatures reached 120 degrees Fahrenheit. One kitten died from heat exhaustion, and a worker from the animal rescue group Happy Valley Animals in Need testified that another kitten had already died under Arthur's care. The founder of Hope's Dream Rescue and Sanctuary also reported that the mother cat had previously escaped Arthur's supervision.

A humane society police officer responding to the scene noted the extreme interior temperature of the car and described a "wave of heat release" upon opening the door, as detailed in court documents. Arthur was initially sentenced to a fine and probation and was prohibited from owning animals.

The case resurfaced this week after Ramaswamy's campaign released an advertisement featuring Arthur calling her daughter a "liar" and urging Ohioans to vote against her. Acton, who has spoken about a difficult childhood marked by neglect and abuse, stated her mother lost custody of her at age 12 due to such issues. Her stepfather also allegedly committed abuse.

The ad has generated significant backlash from both parties, although President Trump and Vice President JD Vance have defended Ramaswamy's use of the ad, with Trump stating he has "don't have a lot of respect for the daughter" and believes the mother is a "witness to things."

Acton's accounts of her childhood have been supported by legal records examined by outlets including National Review and PolitiFact. Further reporting has uncovered court documents detailing a history of criminal convictions for both Donna and Cledith Arthur, including felony theft by deception convictions in Pennsylvania in 1996. Donna Arthur also had a prior conviction for the same offense in 1995.

Arthur appealed her animal neglect conviction, citing a denial of counsel, which led to the vacation of the conviction and sentence due to a procedural error. However, the appellate court's ruling did not overturn the conviction on its merits. The judge's opinion noted Arthur's admission of living in her car with cats and disputed the claim that the car was dangerously hot, accusing the responding officer of rudeness.

Ramaswamy's campaign has continued to defend the advertisement, which has reportedly aired on Ohio television at a cost of at least $4 million, labeling Acton a "serial fabulist."