Kitten hit by car after being abandoned at animal shelter dies

PALMETTO (WWSB) - A kitten that was abandoned in the parking lot of Manatee County Animal Services and later run over by a car has died.

Officials say someone left the six-week-old kitten at the shelter on 25th Street West in Palmetto on March 18 in the parking lot and he was struck by a car. The kitten was left in critical condition.

Manatee County Animal Services says the kitten, which shelter employees named “Von,” meaning hope, had trouble maintaining his body temperature over the weekend and passed away in his sleep on Tuesday.

The shelter says an older woman and younger person she was with tried to surrender him last week Monday at animal services but their policy is owner surrender by appointment only. Despite being given options, shelter officials say the woman still abandoned Von in the parking lot. It’s not yet known if it was her car or another car that ran over Von, which weighed a little more than a pound.

“It’s awful to think that anybody would think that that’s their option because it’s not their only option," said Sarah Brown, Division Chief for Manatee County Animal Services.

Animal abandonment is a first degree misdemeanor with penalties of up to $5000 in fines and even prison time. The shelter is working with law enforcement to find out who abandoned Von.

The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office is hopeful that surveillance video will help them with their investigation.

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