Kitten rescued after being tied up inside bin in Edinburgh
- Published
A five-month-old kitten has been found dumped in a tightly-knotted pillowcase inside a communal bin in Edinburgh.
Two students heard the kitten's cry for help and found it inside the bin in Marchmont Street on Wednesday. The kitten was unhurt.
It has been called Echo and is being looked after by the Scottish SPCA in Dumbarton.
Animal welfare officers said the cat would have "died a slow and painful death" if it had not been found.
The kitten was found dumped inside a communal bin
Fiona Thorburn, of the Scottish SPCA, said: "Echo is extremely vocal, which looks to have saved her life. Thankfully, it doesn't appear that the she was in the bin for very long as the pillowcase wasn't soiled but it must have been very traumatic.
"If she hadn't been discovered then she would have died a slow and painful death.
"Echo is doing great despite her ordeal and is very active so doesn't seem too affected."
She added: "This is not only an unusually-cruel incident but it is also an offence. We are now looking to trace whoever is responsible and ask anyone with information to get in touch."
Abandoning an animal is an offence under the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006.
Anyone found guilty of doing so can expect to be banned from keeping animals for a fixed period or life.