Humane Society calls animal cruelty case an inhumane act
Kittens left just steps away from Humane Society - News 11's Arlette Yousif reports
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - News 11 has learned the four kittens and the one adult female cat left trapped in a box and a suitcase under the hot desert sun were abandoned only about 100 feet away from the Humane Society of Yuma (HSOY), meaning whoever dropped the animals off could have easily just taken them inside.
The Humane Society is working closely with the Yuma Police Department (YPD) to find the people responsible for this cruel act, and hope to find clues to identify those responsible through nearby surveillance cameras.
Related Story: Mother cat and kittens left to die in the heat – YPD seeking suspect
HSOY Director of Development Kari Tatar says safe solutions are available for the local community.
"People have dumped animals off, but they’ve done it in a humane way where the animals were found and cared for. This, unfortunately, was a senseless inhumane act. It’s just absolutely uncalled for, especially when you have a human society literally a hundred feet away from where you leave the cats," says Humane Society of Yuma Director of Development Kari Tatar.
One local says he’s sickened by what happened to these poor animals.
"It is a really inhumane thing. It’s just horrible hearing about stuff like this happening in the world. It’s something that should never ever have to happen. It’s ugly," explains Yuma resident John Miller.
The HSOY is working closely with YPD to find the people responsible for this cruel act, and hope to find clues to identify those responsible through nearby surveillance cameras.
"They’re not people. They’re animals. They— I wouldn’t even say animals. They just— I’ve got no words," says Miller.
As for other stray animals in our area…
"We fix it by bringing 'em in, neutering 'em or spaying them and then returning them back to their location. And then they don't reproduce anymore," says Tatar.
Tatar says HSOY took in about 350 cats in May. This month, they have already taken in almost 100. Our community can help by calling the humane society or by dropping off cats safely with a staff member.
Anyone with any information about this case is encouraged to call YPD at (928) 783-4421 or 78-Crime at (928) 782-7463 to remain anonymous. If your information leads to an arrest you may receive up to a $1,000 cash reward. The Humane Society of Yuma is also offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the suspect(s).
