Good Samaritans Rescue Kittens Dumped in San Bernardino Heat

Kitten Abandonment Incident

• 💔 A couple was accused of dumping a cage full of kittens in a dirt lot in San Bernardino.
• ☀️ The incident occurred on a Friday afternoon when temperatures were exceeding 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
• 📍 Witnesses driving near 40th and Harrison Streets observed the man and woman dumping the animals.

Confrontation and Rescue

• 💡 Good Samaritans Elizabeth Lomeli and Kasandra Via saw the ordeal and approached the couple.
• 🗣️ The woman claimed she was abandoning the kittens because a shelter would take them, a claim the witnesses doubted.
• 🤝 Lomeli and Via took possession of the kittens rather than allow them to be abandoned.
• 🏃‍♀️ The kittens' mother, believed to be a stray, ran away, and the couple left the scene.

Investigation and Animal Services Involvement

• 📝 The incident was reported to San Bernardino Animal Services.
• ✈️ An out-of-state rescue group reportedly picked up the kittens.
• 🔍 A local rescue group, Cats of San Bernardino, has been searching for the mother cat using various methods, including drones and flyers, with no success.
• 🚓 San Bernardino Police have launched a criminal investigation into the abandonment.

Legal Ramifications of Animal Abandonment

• ⚖️ Abandoning any domestic animal, cat or dog, is illegal.
• ⚠️ Offenders can face consequences including prison time, high fines, or probation.