An animal welfare group has expressed concern about increased incidences of cruelty after five kittens were found dumped in Co Cork.
Three of the kittens found on the Fermoy to Mitchelstown road did not survive, while one was injured and covered in maggots.
Jackie Graham from the Mitchelstown-based Community Cats Network said they have seen a marked rise in the dumping of animals in recent weeks.
In an interview with Patricia Messinger on C103's Cork Today Show, Ms Graham said a friend of one of their volunteers discovered a kitten on the side of the road and brought it home before deciding to go back and see if there were any more kittens there.
"They were searching through all these kind of briars and they couldn't see anything. Then they saw a swarm of bluebottles and they went over and there was a small tiny ginger kitten that still had its umbilical cord on, so it wouldn't have been born long.
"It had had a big cut on its side and there was all bluebottles eggs and maggots in the cut, but that kitten was still alive," Ms Graham said.
"The kittens were taken to the vet, the little one with the maggots in the cut had to be put to sleep straight away and the five-week-old was given treatment, but after two hours he died. My friend collected the three kittens that were left and they seemed to be doing well, but then last Sunday one of them had to be let go as well," she added.
"At the moment two are surviving, but one of them will have to have their eye removed in time. We are afraid now at this stage to get hopeful."
Ms Graham said the animals were almost certainly dumped as they were different ages, adding she is worried about the increased abandonment of cats.
"In the space of two weeks I have dealt with ten kittens (being dumped in North Cork). We are not a rescue. We try to get as many cats neutered to stop this from happening. In this day and age there is no excuse for it."
Ms Graham explained the organisation receives a small Government grand and all other costs are covered through fundraising.
