CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY, N.Y. — The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation said a kitten has been adopted after it was found with a plastic drink cup around its neck.
The DEC said on May 31 after responding to a call at the end of a late-night shift, ECO Dougherty noticed something in the middle of the road in the Town of Ellery.
When the officer went to take a closer look, the officer saw that it was a small animal with its head stuck inside a plastic fast food drink cup.
Preparing for all possibilities, ECO Dougherty carefully approached the cup and discovered the kitten. The kitten was unable to lift its head off the ground or pull its head out of the lid.
The DEC said the officer quickly moved the kitten and cup out of harm’s way and away from oncoming traffic.
ECO Dougherty removed the cup but needed to cut the lid from the kitten’s head. The ordeal could easily have been deadly for the kitten, the DEC said it could have easily been prevented if the responsible party had properly disposed of the cup.
The kitten has now been adopted.
