5 kittens in taped box, found in dumpster
Woodbury, NJ (US)Incident Date: Friday, Mar 31, 2006
County: Gloucester
Disposition: Open
Suspect(s) Unknown - We need your help!
Case Updates: 1 update(s) available
Five tiny kittens were found last week in a duct-taped beer box that had been tossed into a Dumpster at the Bell Lake Park Apartments in Woodbury. They were spared almost certain death when an 11-year-old boy, told by his mother to empty the trash, heard faint mewing from inside the bin. The feline siblings -- two females, Kahlua and Malibu, and three males, Jack, Bud and Miller -- were put up for adoption by Furrever Friends, a South Jersey animal-rescue group. "They were thrown in the Dumpster to die," group president Jen Wesh said. "There was no food or water inside that box." Wesh credited the boy, Richie Gallimore, with saving their lives. "He found two other cats several weeks ago in the same apartment complex Dumpster," Wesh said. "He and his mother are big animal lovers, so they gave us a call. They found us online."
Richie, who did not respond to a request for an interview, heard the kittens while taking out the trash Wednesday, spied the Budweiser box, and pulled it out, Wesh said. His instincts were right. The box contained something living and frightened. Worried that whatever it was might run off if he opened the box, Richie took the box back to his apartment, Wesh said. He peeled off the duct tape, and what he found surprised him. "He'd expected maybe two kittens were inside," Wesh said. Wesh picked up the five kittens and took them to her home in Pittsgrove, Salem County. "Richie and his mother were sad to see them go," Wesh said, "but they've worked with us before, so they weren't worried."
Furrever Friends is an all-volunteer group that places pets in foster homes until they can be adopted. For now, the kittens are staying with Wesh. Though the kittens all look very different, they are certainly siblings, Wesh said. Kahlua is tortoise-shell, Malibu calico, Jack brown and white, Bud dark orange, and Miller lighter orange, Wesh said. She already has had interest in the tabbies from people who have previously adopted from the group, she said. "We'll probably have to break them up," Wesh said, "but if someone wants to adopt two or more, that would be great." The group has about 35 other cats up for adoption, Wesh said. Anyone interested in adopting the kittens or a cat or making a donation is asked to call 856-845-8554.
Case UpdatesA national animal-rights group has honored an 11-year-old Woodbury boy for saving the lives of five kittens in April 2006. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals on Thursday awarded Richie Gallimore its "Compassionate Action" Award.
In early April 2006, Richie was taking out the garbage when he heard faint meowing sounds coming from a duct-taped cardboard box inside a trash container at Bell Lake Park Apartments. He took the box home and he and his mother discovered five kittens inside. The kittens were rescued by a local animal shelter. | Source: Courier Post Online - May 26, 2006
Update posted on May 30, 2006 - 10:45PM |
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