A man in Chester County, Pennsylvania, is facing multiple charges. This comes after animal protection officers discovered a duct-taped kitten and 38 other neglected animals in his care.
Reports say the 5-week-old kitten — now known as Roo — had duct tape wrapped around her and is missing a front leg. Roo needed urgent emergency treatment, which helped save her life.
Duct-taped kitten leads to rescue of 38 animals in Pennsylvania
According to Fox29 Philadelphia, animal protection officers were initially responding to reports of a stray dog. They then noticed the duct-taped kitten while engaging her owner. Concerned for the feline’s wellbeing, officers immediately rushed her to the Brandywine Valley SPCA’s (BVSPCA) West Chester campus for treatment.
“She was wrapped in duct tape and was missing her front leg, and we’re not sure what happened,” Sara Smith, a BVSPCA officer, told the news outlet. Furthermore, Smith shared Roo had a fever and that her exposed, infected wound “needed care immediately.”
The animal protection officer considers it a miracle that Roo survived. “Our vet was able to life saving surgery and she pulled through it, which was a miracle in itself,” Smith explained.
After Roo’s rescue, the BVSPCA animal protective services team and police officers went to her owner’s residence to arrest him for the kitten’s neglect, only to discover 38 more animals — among them several cats, a rabbit, dog, and turtle — living in appalling conditions.
Tragically, officers also found a deceased cat in the home, as per NBC Philadelphia reporting. Unfortunately, some of the rescued animals suffered from upper respiratory infections, eye infections, and untreated wounds.
BVSPCA officer Smith acknowledged Roo played a big role in their discovery of the other neglected animals.
“She’s our little heroine. If it wasn’t for Roo, who knows what would have kept going on inside that house,” Smith explained. “Now these animals are going to be in a better place and they’re going to have nice, warm, healthy homes. It’s just a better life for them.”
