"I thought I was going to pick up a carcass," said Wagner, community service officer with the Superior Police Department. "There she was, huddled against the median."
The 2-pound kitten, about 12 weeks old, couldn’t use her right front paw. The animal’s shoulder had been pulled out of its socket, causing permanent nerve damage.
"We’ll have to amputate," said Sheila Keup, shelter director for the Humane Society of Douglas County.
This is the third kitten to be rescued from the middle of the Blatnik Bridge in two months. They’re all sweet, friendly kittens that have been handled by people, and none of them got there on their own.
"There’s no doubt in my mind what’s going on," Wagner said. "They could never get up there that far."
Two of them have had the exact same shoulder injury, requiring amputation. It’s not a typical cat injury, according to Dr. Bob McClellan of Superior Animal Hospital and Boarding Suites. It’s usually seen in cats that were caught in a fan belt while sitting in a car engine to warm up, whipping the leg around and damaging the nerves.
There’s another way that kind of trauma could happen.
"All we can come up with is someone had a hold of the leg and flung it," McClellan said. "It’s more consistent with someone whipping the cat out, holding a leg."
Keup is convinced someone drove these kittens to the top of the bridge and threw them out the window.
If that’s what’s happening, Wagner said, it’s animal cruelty, a felony-level offense. It’s also a safety issue. A cat in the roadway could cause a serious accident as drivers brake or swerve to avoid it. At least two of the kittens were found on the bridge just before the afternoon rush hour.
Wagner said cats have been found on the bridge before, but never this many at once.
The two kittens with shoulder injuries appear to be the same age. Bianca was found on the bridge June 9. She had surgery earlier this month to amputate her front leg and is recovering. She’s also found a forever home.
Frenchie, named because she had vegetable oil on her that made her smell like French fries, was found Tuesday. She is slated for surgery, as well.
On July 12, a 1-year-old black male cat, Blatnik, was rescued from the bridge. He had road rash and appeared to be knocked goofy, Keup said, but is recovering nicely. He also had a burned collar around his neck, according to Wagner.
Keup said a fourth cat was found on the bridge before Bianca, but couldn’t recall the date. She and Wagner think the cases are related, and wondered if there have been more incidents that didn’t end as well. They were initially wary of bringing the information to the public, for fear of copycat incidents.
"It’s animal cruelty at the worst," Wagner said.
She encouraged members of the public to be alert to anyone throwing something out of a car on the bridge. If they see something suspicious, any information they can safely get while traveling the bridge — vehicle make, model, license plate, number of occupants, descriptions — would be helpful.
"Report it so we can get up there right away," Wagner said.
They’re also seeking information on whoever is leaving kittens on the bridge.
"Somebody’s been flinging these kittens," Keup said, and someone’s got to know who they are.
Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Superior Police Department, 715-395-7234 or 911, the Humane Society of Douglas County, 715-398-6784 or message them on Facebook.
"There’s got to be someone with a heart out there connected to these kittens," McClellan said.
The Humane Society is also accepting donations to offset the costs of surgery and other care for the "Bridge Kittens."
(Grand Forks Herald - July 29, 2016)
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