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Two 8th grade boys are being called heroes for rescuing a litter of kittens they saw being thrown into a river in a bag one day last week.
Michael Vance and Zachary Harper were hanging out nearby when a man driving a gas company truck pulled over to the side of the road in Clendenin, West Virginia and tossed a bag into a river.
“He had picked up this white bag, and he just chucked it right into the river,” Michael told WOWK Channel 13 News, explaining that the boys became concerned upon hearing sounds coming from the bag. “Little squeals, like crying.”
Michael immediately jumped in to save the animals trapped in the bag.
“I was already in the river, I was getting the bag.”
Zachary told the news crew: “Michael jumped from here all the way down into the river and got it.”
The boys found a litter of 5 tiny kittens inside the bag, then rode their bikes to Michael’s house with the kittens tucked into their shirts.
The two animals lovers brushed off talk of their being heroes and said they just did what needed to be done.
“The fact that someone would be so cruel as to do that. Times are tough, I understand that. But there’s always a better answer than that. Always,” said Michael.
The kittens are in the care of the Itty Bitty Kitty Committee, which is headquartered in Charleston, West Virginia. A plan to place the kittens with a surrogate mama cat did not work out so they are being bottle fed by an experienced foster caregiver.
Itty Bitty Kitty Committee made an update on the “The Lucky Five” kittens at Facebook on July 19, writing: “All of the babies are doing well! They are eating and seem to have suffered no injuries from their inhuman toss off of the bridge. The surrogate momma cat refused them, but we have found a wonderful foster with bottle feeding experience who is and will continue to take care of them. I was kept updated throughout the night and every report was a good one. Thanks to Michael and Zachary these babies are safe, warm, and will be loved for the rest of their lives. You boys are heroes in our eyes and we can not thank you enough.”
A July 20th Facebook update says: Just spent the afternoon at the Emergency Vet with the lucky five and their foster. We were concerned because not one of the babies had had a bowel movement since we took them in three days ago. And yes, you name the trick for getting a kitten to have a bowel movement and I can assure you that it was attempted….with zero results. All of the babies had to have a “kitten enema” which finally worked. A little scare that was addressed and taken care of. Their awesome foster drove an hour to get them to the doctor. The lucky five are all clear and on their way back to their foster home to eat.”
Another update at Facebook on July 22 says: “THE LUCKY FIVE UPDATE: All five of the little ones are doing well and are growing stronger every single day. They are starting to play and explore their surroundings….and they love to eat. Thank you Kelly and Cammy C for taking such great care of these precious babies. It has been almost a week since they were put in a bag and tossed off of a bridge from a moving truck and into the water. I think that they know that they are safe and loved….they always will be.”
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These boys are heroes!!!!! So nice to hear of young men doing the right thing for cats. Their parents and community must be very proud of them. I know I am.
Just thought, can’t the gas company truck and driver be traced? Someone must know who worked along that area that day.
My thoughts exactly! Just by the time of day and location should give some clues, no??
So happy the kittens were saved thanks to those boys! They are heroes!