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Another animal illegally dropped off at Colonial Heights shelter

Posted at 6:37 PM, Jun 08, 2016
and last updated 2016-06-08 18:37:06-04

COLONIAL HEIGHTS, Va. – Police said the reason there are video surveillance cameras at the shelter is because of the number of animals dropped off there after hours.

For the second time in less than two weeks another animal dropped off after hours. Last week it was a dog and this time it was a 9-week-old kitten.

Police are now looking for the woman who pulled up in a small SUV, got out, opened the backhatch and pulled out a cat carrier. She left it near the entrance.

The problem, police said, is not dropping off an animal – the problem is leaving a kitten in a plastic crate after hours at the gate.

That’s why the woman is facing a charge of misdemeanor animal abandonment.

"While we haven't had any attacks, we have had reports of wild animals, including coyotes in the area, and that small piece of plastic would not be able to protect that cat, should a larger predator come by and try to get into it,” said Sgt. Rob Ruxer, Colonial Heights Police.

He also brought up the case of dogs left chained to the entrance gate, like last week.

“So when the workers come back to work the next morning, if there is a dog chained to the fence, it prevents them from getting into the shelter, especially if those dogs are vicious,” Ruxer said.

Animal advocates said there is no excuse to drop off a pet after hours.

"They don't really care anything about what happens to the animal, because they are abandoning it and somewhere where they have no idea what's going to come up,” said animal advocate Robin Austin.

"Obviously they don't have a very healthy respect for living things, you know these animals left out here like this are defenseless,” said Amy Ott, a local animal lover.

If you have any information about this case contact Crime Solvers at 748-0660.

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