Four kittens left for dead

MCDOUGALL TWP. - The side of a road is no place for kittens on a frigid winter day.
The icy conditions didn’t seem to concern an unknown motorist though as they dropped the cats on the side of Lorimer Lake Road just off of Highway 124 last Thursday.
Ron Campbell, staff sergeant with the OPP, said they received a call about an abandoned pet crate late Thursday morning.
“The complainant stated that the cats had been thrown out of a vehicle to the side of the road and left,” Campbell said.
Upon taking a closer look, four freezing kittens were found inside. The cats were brought to the Georgian Animal Hospital where the full extent of their injuries were determined.
“They were very thin, lots of ear mites, dehydrated and were in pretty rough shape,” said Sue West, a veterinarian at the hospital. “They’re certainly socialized kittens. They aren’t feral.”
The good news is, the kittens were treated for their ailments and are today doing very well. The troubling part of the situation is what seems to be the cats’ background story.
Deb Johnston, a staff member at the Georgian Animal Hospital, said they are very nice, friendly kittens.
“They’re not feral so someone has spent time with them, but then they just decided they didn’t want them so they just threw them out,” said Johnston.
After the motorist discovered the crate on the side of the road, the police were called who subsequently contacted the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. An investigation into who abandoned the cats is now underway and police are looking for anyone who may have information.
Abandoning an animal in distress is a criminal offense under the Ontario Society for the prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. It can carry a penalty that includes a fine or imprisonment.
Brad Dewar, spokesperson with the OSPCA, said the situation could easily have been deadly for the cats.
“When we look at this situation kittens, left confined on the side of the road in the winter time, it could be devastating to those kittens and very hard for them to deal with. It really is saddening. We would really like anyone who has information to come forward,” Dewar said.
Abandoned animals have become a reality in the region. In the past, both dogs and cats have shown up on the side of the highways.
“Over the last year, we had a couple animals found abandoned in the Parry Sound, Muskoka area. It’s not an everyday occurrence, but it does happen and, in all reality, once is too many,” Dewar said.
Support is available for those people who find themselves with more animals than they can properly care for.
“If someone is having difficulty with the amount of animals they have or an unexpected birth of a litter of kittens or pups they are encouraged to contact the OSPCA. We would be more than happy to help them,” Dewar said. “Abandoning animals is not an option.”
Anyone with information on the incident is asked to contact the Muskoka branch of the OSPCA at 705-645-6225. Dewar said that those who call in are protected under the privacy act and they don’t have to worry about having their names used.

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