A kitten drugged with heroin, strangled and slammed into the ground is recovering thanks to a quick-thinking veterinarian. But the story of the abuse the animal suffered over the weekend is horrifying.
A West Whiteland Pennsylvania police officer was on patrol on Aug. 3 at 4:40 a.m. when he spotted a car parked in the middle of the street. The driver’s door was open and under it was a small black kitten with a rope around its neck. The cat’s face was bleeding and several teeth had been knocked out. The words “SLAM IT YOU PU$$Y” was spray painted on the road not far away.
Police said they later found bundles of heroin, hundreds of used bags of heroin and 46 hypodermic needles in the vehicle. Investigators also found a rope which matching the one around the kitten’s neck and a small box with cat feces in it.
Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan and West Whiteland Police Chief Joseph Catov announced on Tuesday that a man had been arrested in connection with the alleged crimes.
“The abuse of this kitten was a singularly depraved act. Heroin addicts abuse themselves, animals, and children without remorse or regret. What punishment is severe enough for this type of evil?” Hogan said in a statement.
The kitten, which was was suffering from head trauma, was lethargic, was taken to a local vet. At first, there was talk of euthanizing the animal due to its poor condition. However, when Dr. Jennifer Magilton at the HOPE Veterinary Clinic in Malvern heard all of the circumstances of the case combined with the kitten’s physical condition, she determined that the kitten had been given heroin. The veterinarian administered Narcan, the trade name for the drug Naloxone, is an anti-opioid given to humans who have overdosed on heroin. The kitten now named Hope was immediately revived. The cat is now recovering and will eventually be put up for adoption.
“Our department is working closely with the District Attorney’s Office in order to bring this case to a successful conclusion,” Chief Catov said in a statement. “We are thankful that the kitten was saved.”
Hogan praised police and veterinarians for saving the kitten.
“There is no excuse for cruelty to a defenceless animal,” Hogan added. “The West Whiteland Police Department should be commended for intervening to stop this abuse. Dr. Magilton should be praised for her quick thinking to save the kitten’s life.”
James Myers, 24, faces charges of cruelty to animals and drug possession.
