SHOCKING CAT ABUSE
‘It would have been a horrible death’
A CHANCE visit has saved two cats that were zipped into an insulated cooler bag and left for dead outside a Toowoomba veterinary practice at the weekend.
Working on Sunday, her day off, West Toowoomba Veterinary Surgery co-owner Christine Burke found the backpack at the door of the clinic and thought it was a piece of lost property.
However, she was shocked to find two full-sized cats had been stuffed into the bag and were visibly distressed from the heat.
“I just couldn’t get over, why put them in an insulated bag?” Ms Burke said.
“They would have died of heatstroke. They couldn’t get out, they couldn’t breathe, it’s just ridiculous.”
There are now concerns for other animals in the owners’ care and an investigation has been opened.
A TOOWOOMBA vet has saved two cats from a “horrible, slow death”, after finding them dumped outside her practice in an insulated shopping bag.
The West Toowoomba Vet Surgery is closed on Sundays, however practice co-owner Christine Burke decided to check in on some of the animals, a decision that proved to be a lifesaver.
“I went to the practice early that morning, and when I got to the back door there was a backpack lying on the ground,” Ms Burke said.
“I thought, ‘that’s strange, someone has left a backpack here’ because it hadn’t been there the night before.
“I took it inside and opened it, realising it was an insulated bag - and then this poor cat jumped out.”
Ms Burke said she soon realised it was not alone, as “a wave of heat” emanated from the bag.
“When I looked in there was another cat in there too and it was covered in wee, the poor thing,” she said.
“Once I got them out they both cowered at the back, they were so stressed.”
She said although neither of the cats were micro-chipped or desexed, they didn’t appear to be neglected.
She puzzled at how the person managed to get two cats into the small bag.
“There were no wounds and they were in good condition but I just couldn’t get over, why put them in an insulated bag,” she said.
“We weren’t open on Sunday. I might have not come over and the bag was left on the western side in full sunlight.
“They would have died of heatstroke. They couldn’t get out, they couldn’t breathe, it’s just ridiculous.”
Ms Burke wrote a Facebook post about the incident at the weekend, which garnered more than 500 comments from horrified residents.
“Absolutely disgusting behaviour. So glad you were there to find them, hopefully their owners can be found and prosecuted,” one resident commented.
“Find who did it then they should have the favour returned to them, a nice, large insulated bag for them - see how they like it,” another added.
Ms Burke said the animals would now be collected by RSPCA inspector, who would investigate the incident.
“It was the thought about what could have happened, it would have been a horrible, slow death,” she said.
“We need to find (the owner) because we don’t know if there are more animals and if they may do it again.
“It appears one of the cats has just finished expressing milk, which means there could be kittens out there.”
She said it was important residents understood that there were other options.
“If you have an animal you can no longer look after, the pound on Anzac Ave has afterhour cages, you can drive in any time and pop them in, those boxes are checked every day,” she said.
“You could take them to a vet that is open on a Sunday or you can take them to the RSPCA. Just don’t dump them in a bag.”