Abandoned kittens

One afternoon last week I was on my way home from the SPCA centre and stopped to do some shopping in Victoria. As I returned to my vehicle I passed a pile of garbage bags on the street corner, ready for the refuse truck. Next to the pile was a small cardboard box, from which emanated the pathetic cries of young kittens. Investigation revealed four beautiful, but very tiny kittens. My heart missed a beat: What would have happened when the garbage collectors came? They would have been thrown into the truck and compacted with the rest of the rubbish. These poor innocent creatures were destined to perish before their life had barely started.

Where are they tonight? Well at two to three weeks old they are struggling to survive, but they are in the warmth of my kitchen and are trying very hard to get to grips with kitten milk replacer. My dogs (also rescue animals) are washing them lovingly and I am sure giving them the comfort they are missing from their mother. And, speaking of their mother, how she must be suffering now, in the middle of her lactation, full of milk and doubtless grieving for her babies which have been so cruelly snatched from her. Make no mistake, these are not feral kittens, but clean healthy babies from a home environment.

How can the owners of this cat be so cruel and heartless? If they did not want their cat to have babies why did they not come to Gozo SPCA to have their cat spayed?

Our society has been giving financial assistance and arranging neutering of pets (and feral cats) for over 20 years. It is such a simple operation and would save so many kittens from tragic deaths.

I wonder how the person who disposed of these kittens with such indifference and so cruelly can live with him/herself.

These are God's creatures and as such deserve our respect and compassion. How can anyone declare oneself to be a Christian and then perpetrate such a callous deed?

May I ask all of the clergy of these islands to preach to their flocks that animals are precious and are part of our Lord's creation and should never be abused in this way? Surely such cruelty to animals is a sin ?

Anyone interested in news of the kittens should call 99807067 or e-mail info@spca-gozo.org.