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BETHEL PARK, Pennsylvania (KDKA) — Bethel Park Police are investigating after they said someone threw kittens from their vehicle.
The kittens died, police said.
At least one of the kittens was still alive when it was thrown, said Tracy Flaherty, who manages the Dairy Queen on Library Road. She saw it moving along the road and believes a car hit it. She and another individual moved the kitten to the side of the road.
“As we were petting it, it took its last breath,” Flaherty said.
Bethel Park Police received calls on Saturday between 3:30 and 3:45 about an individual throwing “items” from a vehicle in the area of Connor Road and Old Connor Road, as well as on Library Road near the Dairy Queen plaza, the department wrote on Facebook.
“Upon investigation, the items were unfortunately determined to be deceased kittens,” the post said.
They did not specify how many kittens were found or if they were all alive when thrown from the vehicle.
Bud Demart saw the Connor Road police scene unfold in front of his home. At first, he thought it was a dead squirrel on the road.
“It was small and had a big tail, and I’m-I mean, who would have thought there was a kitten on the road,” he said. “That’s a shame that happened. I’m not a big cat person, but they don’t deserve to be thrown out of a car and run over.”
At Bailey’s Cat Haven in nearby South Park Township, manager Barb Brown reacted to what happened.
“It was horrific,’ Brown said. “You know as a rescue we don’t understand what possesses people to do this?
Theres a variety of rescues the person could have contacted to give their kittens to, she said, adding she wishes she could have helped.
“Generally, when people are this desperate, they’ll release them in a park or a wooded area, but the fact that they threw them out the window-that’s a horrible way for any any animal or pet to to pass away,” Brown said.
Rick, who volunteers at the same shelter, was equally disturbed by what happened.
“It’s absolutely heinous,” he said. “You know, it just it made my blood boil thinking that somebody could do something like this.”
Cross Your Paws rescue in Greensburg put up a $500 reward for information leading to an arrest. Rick said he’d give them another $500 so they could increase their reward.
“Somebody has to care for those who don’t have a voice,” he said. “We want to know who did it.”
Demart was asked about what he thought of the person responsible.
“I think somebody ought to throw them out of the car,” Demart said. “I mean, I just can’t understand how somebody could do that to a harmless animal.”
Police are asking anyone who may have witnessed anything to please contact them. They added that no matter how insignificant it may seem, it could help them.
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