Three kittens and a cat have been killed after apparently being hurled from an apartment building in Abu Dhabi.
Shocked onlookers, who discovered the animals, said they believed they had been thrown from a third or fourth floor. Three kittens were dead when they were discovered while a cat, found under a car, was taken to a veterinary clinic where he died from his injuries.
Shereef Bin Abdul Khader, a cat owner who voluntarily rescues and looks after animals in his spare time, rushed to scene after an appeal for help was posted on The Bin Kitty Collective Facebook page. Images showed the kittens lying prone on the pavement.
How they ended up on the pavement is unconfirmed. However, one other person who went to the scene said they had spoken to a man who admitted his son, who has autism, was responsible.
Members of the Facebook group reacted with horror to the deaths and said the incident had been reported to the police.
“I was working nearby, so I just rushed to the place and saw the kittens lying on the ground,” Mr Khader said. “I saw three had died and one was alive, hiding under the car, full of blood.
“When I looked at the post – I don’t know how to say how I felt. When I arrived at the place I was crying, but I was trying not to as I wanted to take action and save their life.
“It’s so cruel. This is the worst case I have ever seen. I have seen some cases where cats are hit by cars, or some other accident. But to actually throw them… some of the group members have contacted the police. Someone should be punished for this.”
The animals were discovered on Fatima Bint Mubarak Street [formerly Najda Street] on Wednesday. Mr Khader believes injuries to two of the kittens suggested they may have been killed hours earlier, while he suspects the others were hurled live from the apartment.
A vet report said the cat that had initially survived had suffered spinal injuries. He died from respiratory arrest.
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The incident comes days after the UAE criminalised pet abandonment in another step towards greater protection for animals.
In December 2016, Federal Law 18 — which fines individuals found guilty of abusing or illegally hunting, buying or selling animals up to Dh200,000 — was issued. The law also penalises offenders with up to a year in prison.
It was issued after a string of animal welfare abuses were exposed on social media.
