A kitten found zipped inside a shaving kit bag in a garbage can at Hillside Shopping Centre in Victoria on Tuesday is receiving veterinary care.
The kitten is estimated to be about six or seven weeks old and was clearly neglected, said Ian Fraser, senior animal control officer at Victoria Animal Control Services.
Fraser said the kitten is lethargic and dehydrated and has mobility issues.
Victoria Animal Control Services Ltd./Facebook
“It would take a step and then stumble and fall, and you’d help it back up, and it would stumble and fall again. The back end wasn’t working properly,” Fraser said.
The kitten was found about 9:30 a.m. by mall staff who were emptying garbage cans outside the mall. A staff member noticed a slight movement in the shaving kit and unzipped the bag to find the small black and white kitten.
Staff called animal control, who picked up the kitten. It was transferred to a veterinarian, where it was expected to stay overnight receiving treatment.
Abandoning an animal is a violation of a Victoria bylaw as well as the provincial Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.
“Clearly, this animal was abandoned,” Fraser said.
A Facebook post on the Victoria Animal Control Services page about the kitten had more than 180 comments by 4 p.m. Tuesday. Many said they would like to adopt the kitten. Others criticized the person who abandoned the animal.
“Incidents like this always do bring out a lot of heartfelt offers of assistance,” Fraser said.
Victoria’s bylaw requires animal control to keep the animal for 96 hours to allow the owner to claim the animal. Fraser said it’s possible the owner might not be the person responsible for throwing the kitten in the garbage can.
Animals are found abandoned in garbage cans or dumpsters a couple of times every year, according to Fraser.
Anyone with information about the kitten is asked to call animal control at 250-414-0233.
