In Baranovichi, a Kitten Was Sealed in a Jar and Thrown into a Dumpster
Karina went out in the evening to throw out the trash and heard a quiet squeak near the container — either a child or a kitten. In the darkness, she saw nothing, but stumbled upon a three-liter jar standing behind the garbage chute. Inside, a rather large kitten was suffocating and squeaking. The story is told by "Nash Kraj".
The incident only became known now, but it happened in October, in Tekstilny.
— With today's mindset, of course, I would have immediately gone home and opened the lid," the girl recalls the events of that day. "But then I was very scared, I panicked: what to do, where to run? So I just ran with this jar to the vet clinic. The doctor was already leaving, standing at the doorstep, but she came back, opened the jar, and began to save the animal — which turned out to be a young female cat: she immediately gave it oxygen.
By the way, the doctor didn't charge any money. When it became clear that the cat was in a relatively normal state, Karina took her home. She kept her and named her Iriska.
The cat recovered quite quickly — she just drank water for a whole day and even more.
She still pounces on food, even though she has long been well-fed by her owner. Wounds of unknown origin healed in a matter of days, and now only major gum problems, which Karina is still treating, remind her of the past.
However, if the stress she experienced affected her character, it was only for the better.
— I've never seen such affectionate cats," says Karina. "Say, you come home from outside or from the bathroom — she gently touches you with her paws, massages you…
Karina already has a cat — a Siamese, with a strong personality, like probably all representatives of this breed. The girl feared that the resident cat would not accept the newcomer. But Monya treated Iriska surprisingly kindly:
— It got to the point where, at first, she even pushed chicken directly into Iriska's paws — even though she would sell her soul for that chicken! If Iriska plays around, meows-squeaks — Monya immediately runs to check, just in case, if she needs protection.
Karina herself doesn't intend to rehome her: "She's already mine." Photos of a contented Iriska confirm that the cat is clearly not against it.
What the Police Say
This story could have ended not with charming pictures, but with the animal's death in terrible agony. By the way, a neighbor told Karina that she also found a cat with kittens in a tied potato sack at this same dump. They all survived and found homes, but this does not negate the fact of inhumane treatment of animals, which should be punished.
What legal consequences could they face?
As stated by the Baranovichi City Department of Internal Affairs (CDIA), these actions indeed constitute an administrative offense or a criminal act. Exactly which one will be determined during the verification process, which police officers will conduct if a statement is filed (by the girl who found the animal).
In the case of an administrative offense, a fine of up to thirty basic units, community service, or administrative arrest may be imposed. But there is an important nuance: if it turns out to be an administrative offense, the statute of limitations for it is two months. Accordingly, after this period, it will be impossible to bring the animal abuser to justice.
It's a completely different matter if the investigation shows that the inhumane act qualifies as a criminal case. Then it doesn't matter when the statement was filed with the police. The culprit will face responsibility even a year later. If a criminal case is initiated for cruel treatment of an animal, the guilty party could face punishment including imprisonment for up to 4 years.
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