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Humane officials say he
found the animals
through ads in papers
LISA ROSETTA
Salt Lake Tribune
Salt Lake County Animal
services is investigating a man
who allegedly abused kittens
he found through
advertisements in newspapers.
The agency also is encour-
aging the public to take un-
wanted litters to the nearest
shelter, rather than give them
away.
Animal Services received
two kittens in June with
burns and broken bones. The
girlfriend of the alleged abus-
er, Clint L. Wilkes, sought
medical attention for one of
the kittens, which had a bro-
ken leg, broken tail, trauma to
the body and a mild concus-
sion. She returned home to
find a second kitten with a
broken tail and chemical
burns to its ears.
Last week, another kitten
from the same home was
brought to the shelter with a
broken tail and possible
burns. There have been |
reports of domestic abuse in
the home as well, said Animal
Services spokeswoman
Temma Martin.
Wilkes has had as many as
seven or eight kittens over the
last few months, all of which
have been injured or have
disappeared, his girlfriend
told Animal Services. He is
scheduled to be arraigned
later this month in Salt Lake
County Justice Court on mis-
demeanor charges of animal
cruelty and abandonment.
Martin said it is important
for pet owners to spay or neu-
ter their pets so they're not
stuck trying to give kittens
away to people who are po-
tentially unfit to properly
care for them.
Owners should at least
take unwanted litters to
shelters, where staff is able to
care for them, place them in
adoptive homes or humanely
euthanize them, she said.
Last year, Animal Services
picked up 5,148 felines, includ-
ing kittens, of which 649 were
adopted, 198 were returned to
their owner and 4,022 -- or
about 78 percent -- were euth-
anized, Martin said. |