Earlier this week, the Yonkers Police Department and Humane Law Enforcement Unit of the SPCA of Westchester announced that they had arrested Christina Harris, 23, for leaving behind a pit bull and cat to starve to death in her Cliff Street apartment.
The SPCA was alerted about a dog in distress near Van Cordlandt Park, but were surprised when the black and white cat was also found in distress after being left to fend for itself for five days. The dog died from its wounds, but the kitten was taken to the Yonkers Animal Shelter for medical treatment.
Upon arrival at the apartment - which had no heat and broken windows - the kitten was found to be dehydrated, emaciated, underfed and with fleas. It required several days of treatment.
Having made a full recovery, Yonkers Police Officer William Pataky - who was the arresting officer that found the dog and cat - formally adopted the kitten at the animal shelter and has taken his new roommate to her new, warm, home.
Pataky hasn’t come up with a name for the cat, but said that he is looking forward to getting creative with it. To make things more interesting for the community, the Yonkers Police Department are requesting possible names for her from the community on their Facebook page.
“I consider myself fortunate to be able to provide a home for this animal,” he said in a statement. “I don’t know what I will name her yet, but it will be fun coming up with a special name for her.”
Ernest Lungaro, the Director of the Humane Law Enforcement Unit of the SPCA, said that while the whole story of the animals is tragic, he was pleased that there was a sliver of positivity to come out of it.
“It’s such a heartbreaking story, with the dog dying; but to see this kitten that was somehow able to survive in the apartment, it offers kind of a little happy ending at least,” he said. “The cat really gravitated toward the office, so it’s kind of fitting that he wound up adopting him.
“We didn’t expect the cat to be in the apartment, but he really just gravitated toward (Pataky), so there’s something of a happy ending for both he and the cat.”
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