Hong Kong police have launched an investigation into suspected animal abuse after five newborn kittens were discovered in tightly knotted plastic bags inside a garbage bin.
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The force was alerted at around 10.11am on Saturday that several kittens were found in the bin in front of Tin Hau Temple on Yee Kuk Street in Sham Shui Po.
Staff members from the Hong Kong Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, a charity focusing on the city’s animal welfare, also arrived at the scene to assist police officers.
The charity said that the five kittens, estimated to be only one or two days old with their umbilical cords still attached, were discovered inside the giant bin filled halfway with rubbish.
They were wrapped in three plastic bags, each sealed with a knot. Given their similar age, it is suspected that they are from the same litter, according to the charity.
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The initial observation showed there were no visible wounds on the surface of the kittens’ bodies. The charity said the kittens were responsive but appeared weak.