Video: Seven illegally bred Scottish fold kittens dumped in Voorburg
Seven Scottish Fold kittens were found dumped on Saturday in a basket hidden among bushes near Fransstraat in Voorburg, Omroep West reports.
The kittens are being cared for by foster mother Yvette Keveling, who lives near the discovery site and is reportedly known in the neighborhood as the person to contact when cats are found. They will remain in care until they are about 10 weeks old, then be placed with new owners.
The 5- to 6-week-old kittens represent a triple violation of Dutch law, according to Anja Kraaij from animal shelter Stichting Kittenplace: the dumping of animals, the breeding of a prohibited breed, and the removal of the kittens from their mother at far too young an age.
Scottish Folds have long been banned from breeding in the Netherlands. Since Jan. 1, owning the breed has also been illegal. The government prohibits the cats because those with folded ears often suffer health problems, the Netherlands Enterprise Agency has stated.
“It is a lot of work, certainly with seven at the same time, but they are doing well. I am especially very happy that they are now eating and gaining strength. They are safe here and are getting all the care they need,” Keveling, the kittens' foster mother, said.
No cameras monitor the wooded spot where the kittens were abandoned. Stichting Kittenplace is appealing to the public through the media to help identify their origin. “We want to trace the owner so that we can file a report,” Kraaij told Omroep West.
“Now that it is forbidden to keep these cats, we are afraid of more dumpings. But dumping is never the solution. People can always report to a shelter,” she added.
