Phoenix police officer caring for 5 discarded kittens

A Phoenix police officer is caring for five newborn kittens that someone had thrown into a dumpster.

The kittens were discovered late July 27 by a man who heard whimpering coming from a trash bin near 38th Avenue and Camelback Road. He called police to make an animal-cruelty report.

Shortly after, Officer Heather Krimm and another officer arrived on scene.

"They looked lifeless," Krimm said Tuesday. "They were very close to death."

Krimm said she tried to place the kittens at an animal hospital on Glendale Avenue near 23rd Avenue at around 9 p.m., but the employee at the desk would not take them.

Krimm said the temperature inside the dumpster was about 102 degrees.

While kittens normally snuggle together, Krimm said they were far apart and not making any noise.

"They didn't look like baby kittens at the time," Krimm said.

The kittens appeared to be one to three days old and still had their umbilical cords.

Krimm took all five kittens back with her to the Cactus Park Precinct and had to teach them how to bottle feed.

After receiving approval from her supervisor and the Arizona Humane Society, Krimm took the kittens home and continued to care for them. Since then, she has seen significant progress in the cats. They are starting to eat more formula and become more animated, she said.

"I also had to help them use the bathroom," she said. "That's a whole other part of the job."

Krimm has several other cats and dogs and does not plan to adopt the kittens, but she hopes they will find a safe home.

"It's a lot of work, but it's enjoyable to see them make progress," she said.

Their markings and colorings are quickly becoming more distinct, Krimm said.

Krimm will continue to care for the kittens until a foster family can be arranged. She expects they will be ready for adoption in ten weeks, at the latest, after they are spayed and neutered.

Police urge anyone with information on who may have discarded the kittens to call Silent Witness at 480-948-6377 or submit a tip online at silentwitness.org.

Police are also asking residents to consult the Arizona Humane Society's website,www.azhumane.org, if they are having trouble caring for pets. Animal cruelty is an offense punishable by law.