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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
National
Maisie Lawton

Tragedy after cat and seven kittens dumped in air-tight plastic container and left for dead in Manchester park

A cat and her seven kittens who were left to die in a plastic tub were rescued by a horrified dog walker.

The dog alerted its owner to the 'petrified' mum and kittens who had been dumped in the bushes of Debdale Park, Gorton. They were found in a closed plastic box - with no air holes - and taken to Millstream Animal Shelter in Newton Heath.

Unfortunately, one kitten had to be put to sleep after having seizures, thought to have been brought on due to the lack of oxygen in the container.

READ MORE : Pet owners angry over law change that protects dogs but excludes cats

Millstream Animal Shelter volunteer, Wendy Andrew, told the Manchester Evening News : "It's awful. The mother was traumatised and needed a lot of love and coaxing when brought to us, and if they hadn't been found they would have all died.

"It's absolutely sickening and needs bringing to attention that people would kill their pets than bring them into shelters."

The six-week-old kittens have been named after Games of Thrones dragons - Syrax, Vermax, Tessarion, Vermithor, Sunfyre and Balerion.

The kittens were taken to Millstream Animal Shelter (Millstream Animal Shelter)

Debbie Cheetham, manager at Millstream, said she fears the 'significant rise' of pet ownership from the pandemic with the soaring cost of living crisis means 'more will be abandoned this year'.

The RSPCA revealed a total of 38,087 abandonment reports were made throughout 2021 - averaging 3,000 reports a month or 104 a day - as part of the charity's 'Cancel Out Cruelty' campaign. Sadly, these figures are expected to rise this year.

Debbie said: "We have never been as full as we are now, and we’re getting about 80 phone calls a day to take cats in.

"There's 60-80 cats that live on-site 'the free roamers' with an added 150 - kitten season has just not ended this year. We are at capacity, but still would wish owners to leave them with us than commit such cruelty.

The terrified cat and her kittens were 'left for dead' (Millstream Animal Shelter)

"We are also bracing for a surge of dumpings after Christmas this year, with cats found everywhere from rubbish bins and boxes on main roads."

Millstream have said they won't be giving kittens away over Christmas amid these fears, as the RSPCA's Animal Kindness Index discovered "78% of pet owners think the cost of living will impact their animals" and "68% expressed concern" that cost care is on the rise.

Millstream Animal shelter at capacity with pets (Millstream Animal Shelter)

"We understand the cost crisis has caused financial struggles to pet owners or worse home evictions" Debbie added, "but we plead people give us as much notice as possible so we can cater for their pet, and prevent the likelihood of turning anyone away."

To find out more about the pets at Millstream Animal Shelter, click here.

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