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A kitten in need of eye removal surgery was taken in her carrier when the SUV she was being transported to a vet in was stolen on Wednesday. OnStar disabling and tracking helped to locate the vehicle, but the kitten was not inside or nearby. She was later found by a resident of the apartment complex where the SUV was located, and was taken to the vet and placed in temporary foster care.
The kitten was riding with transporter Julie Kilmurry and headed to Planned PEThood of Georgia, in Duluth, when the SUV was stolen. Julie stopped near Perimeter Mall to meet up with another volunteer transporter who was going to take the cat to the vet. She left the car locked with the engine running during the brief stop, with the kitten in a kennel on the front seat.
“I was there 10 minutes — 12 at the most — came out and the car was gone,” Julie said.
Police used the OnStar to disable the vehicle, and tracked it to an apartment complex in Southwest Atlanta. Both the kitten and her kennel were gone, and volunteers feared for her well-being and her life.
“[The kitten cannot survive for] long in this heat, those kennels are plastic and they heat up really fast, I’m hoping it burst open and it got out,” said Elizabeth Burgner of Planned PEThood, where the kitten was scheduled for surgery at no cost.
Channel 11 in Atlanta reported on the story and put out an appeal to the public for help in finding the kitten. Volnteers, Planned PEThood staff and members of the public following the case were relieved when the kitten was found and was brought to Planned PEThood on Thursday.
Planned PEThood of Georgia shared the happy news yesterday at Facebook in a series of posts, beginning with this: “Some of you may have seen this story on the news last night. We have a happy update!! The kitten was found (in the apt complex where the car was disabled by Onstar) and turned in to FCAS (Fulton County animal Services) last night. She’s on her way to Planned PEThood now!! Best. News. Ever”
“The kitten is here! And let me tell you — she has NO IDEA what all the uproar is about. She’s just happy to see you and wants to play.
“She only weighs a little over a pound so surgery would be to risky at this point. We’ve given her fluids and pain meds and gotten rid of those fleas. She’ll go home with one of our volunteers for the weekend and come back for a recheck on Monday. Whew. Thank goodness!!”
Later last night, planned PEThood gave a final update for the evening, saying: “Our volunteer is calling her Willow. She’s settled in a lap, free of fleas and free of pain. Whew. Happy. Happy.”
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Here’s the Channel 11 story from when the kitten was still missing:
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Again, kitty’s eye has been blurred so as not to show the extent of the damage to her eye caused by an infection.
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Oh My God!!!!!!!!!