24 cats rescued from locked, sweltering car
INLAND EMPIRE, Calif. — Two dozen cats and kittens are receiving treatment and awaiting adoption after Inland Valley Humane Society & S.P.C.A. officials rescued them from a sweltering hot car yesterday, April 26.
LEADING THE RCNS HEADLINES:
Landscaper fatally struck in Jurupa Valley
Man, 22, dies days after Jurupa Valley Shooting
Attempted MoVal bank robbery leads to arrest
Riverside inmate dies in custody – COVID-19 suspected
Family says goodbye to Riverside Deputy Terrell Young, who died of COVID-19
Inland Empire animal control officials rushed to the cats’ aid after they were alerted to the kitty crisis on Sunday.
“The car was reported with no owner in sight, no water, and no windows cracked open for air,” officials said after yesterday’s rescue.
Twenty-four cats and kittens are on the mend and awaiting new homes after Inland Valley Humane Society & S.P.C.A. officials rescued them from a sweltering hot car yesterday. Inland Valley Humane Society & S.P.C.A. photo
Video filmed at the scene and later shared on social media (which can be viewed below) showed officials breaking into a blue sedan and working to catch and remove the cats from the filthy, excrement and rotten food filled vehicle.
As the video continues the emaciated and lethargic cats can be heard mewling in distress, while officials worked to remove them from the car.
A thermometer held by one of the officials showed temperatures inside the vehicle had reached 119 degrees in the afternoon heat.
Once rounded up, the cats were transported to the humane society’s veterinary hospital to be assessed, re-hydrated and cared for.
“They all thankfully were rescued by our officers in time,” officials later said in the comments of their social media post. “They are being taken to our Veterinary center and will be assessed and rehabilitated by our veterinary staff.”
“We are going to get these babies strong & healthy!,” officials continued.
After Sunday’s rescue, officials implored area residents to “Please keep the pets of our community safe and report any animals under dangerous conditions.”
“Please do not leave animals alone in a vehicle,” officials continued. “It is illegal and they can experience severe trauma and irreparable damage when temperatures reach certain levels (85° outside is 119° in a vehicle).”
As word of the rescue spread, many commented on the social media post – which had received thousands of views, comments and shares within hours – with countless people calling for the owner of the vehicle to be located and prosecuted – “To the fullest extent of the law.”
“Our officers are still relentlessly caring for the animals of our community every single day,” officials said, referring to the ongoing COVID-19 related public health crisis.
“We need your financial support now more than ever during this challenging time,” officials continued. “If you would like to donate so we can care for the animals of our community like these cats who need medical supervision and rehabilitation, please donate.”
Click any image to open full-size gallery.
Inland Valley Humane Society & S.P.C.A. photos
This article sponsored by:
For more information, contact Bill Tyler at Century 21 Full Realty Service.
Contact the writer: [email protected]
Trevor Montgomery, 48, moved in 2017 to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes or has written for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, (the now defunct) Valley Chronicle, Anza Valley Outlook, and Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle; as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County and Mountain Echo in Shasta County.
Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back, and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)
During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations; including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center, and Lake Elsinore Station; along with other locations.
Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.
Trevor has been married for more than 29 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 16 grandchildren.