$100 reward for animal abuse

On a very cold morning last week, someone left a mother cat and her four kittens in a closed box next to the Dumpster behind the Whitefish Credit Union office. Fortunately, Sue Schenck went out to empty the trash and heard the cats crying. One kitten was found dead and the remaining were suffering from the cold.

The ladies at the Whitefish Credit Union took great care to warm up the young family (the kittens being only two weeks old) and feed the mother cat. They then called me at the Flathead Spay & Neuter Clinic to see if we could take the cat and kittens until they are old enough to adopt.

We now have them in one of our foster homes and will care for them for the next couple of months. As tragic as this particular case is, unfortunately it is not isolated. Animals are found in Dumpsters, left along roadways and even thrown in the landfill (still alive).

It is against the law to abandon animals, punishable by a $500 per animal fine and six months in jail. The Spay & Neuter Task Force and Marvin's Fund of Montana offers reward money for information leading to the arrest and conviction of individuals committing cruelty or abandonment against dogs or cats.

We are offering a $100 reward in this case and persons with information can contact Crimestoppers or the Whitefish Police Department.

Through the efforts of the staff at the Whitefish Credit Union, this story will have a happy ending. But for the many other dogs and cats that are put in similar situations, the outcome is not nearly as happy.

The solution to the problem of unwanted animals begins with spaying and neutering. It is the pet owners' responsibility to care for the animal through its natural life or to find a loving-care home when it's not possible to keep them.

If you have a pet that you can't keep or find a home for, the Flathead Animal Shelter is a much better alternative to simply dumping the animals. Many thanks to everyone that works so hard to make the lives of companion animals better.

Mimi Beadles, president

Flathead Spay & Neuter Task Force