Four dead kittens dumped in a cardboard box in Darlington could have been set upon in a deliberate dog attack.
All four cats - which were around three weeks old - had suffered puncture wounds to their chests, possibly the result of having been bitten by a dog.
RSPCA inspector Gemma Lynch says the circumstances surrounding their deaths are unclear, but the possibility that the kittens were used for dog baiting should not be ruled out. “The vet believes the wounds are bite marks, but we don’t know whether this was as a result of a deliberate attack by a dog or dogs or not,” said Gemma.
