CALGARY – A Crossfield animal shelter is offering a $600 reward for helping them track down the person responsible for the death of a kitten.
Strathmore area farmhands called Tails to Tell Animal Rescue after witnessing the three-week old cat being thrown out of a moving vehicle near the town.
Edna Jackson was one of the staff members that rushed to help.
“There’s a million places you could take these little guys. You don’t need to throw them away – they’re not garbage!”
She suspected its legs and even back were broken by the impact.
The kitten was taken to the Apex Animal Clinic for treatment. Dr. Atal Bahdur examined the cat who was clearly suffering.
“It was in respiratory distress, gasping for air so we put it on oxygen,” says Dr. Bahdur.
“We resuscitated it two times and tried to revive it but unfortunately it didn’t make it.”
Crossfield Peace Officer Jeff Richards is now investigating the incident. He needs witnesses to come forward with a vehicle description or plate number.
He reminds everyone that animal cruelty is considered a serious offence.
“It’s not something that’s taken lightly. The public doesn’t condone this type of thing by any means and law enforcement in Alberta takes it very seriously.”
An necropsy has confirmed the kitten’s injuries are consistent with trauma from a hard impact at high speed.
Witnesses say they saw an older woman throwing the cat out the passenger window of a red, old-style minivan.
An older man was driving.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Officer Richards directly at (403) 312-7115.
The kitten did get a name before he died – Ditch – for where he was found.
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