Elkhart kitten rescued from landfill

BRISTOL, Ind. -- Hefty the kitten is currently under the care of the Elkhart County Humane Society, but his journey to the rescue was far from ordinary.

He is very small and malnourished, but he’s in much better care now than when he was first found.

At just 8-weeks-old, Hefty has had rough life.

“It’s always very heartbreaking. It’s sad. It’s tragic. This is why we’re here though,” said Rachel Dennis, the Assistant Director of the Elkhart humane society.

On Wednesday, Hefty was living in a box with his sibling when county landfill workers discovered him.

“They were just about to bulldoze this pile of trash and out of this box sprung this little kitten and he went running for the hills basically,” explained Dennis.

The workers were able to catch up to Hefty and call him in to the humane society.

“We got out there and picked the little guy up,” said Dennis.  “He was obviously emaciated. He needed some food. Unfortunately, his little sibling that was in the box with him didn’t make it.”

Hefty was brought in to the center and is currently being treated for an upper respiratory infection. But, humane society workers have high hopes for his adoption.

“He is very sweet,” cooed Dennis. “He loves to cuddle. He’ll sit on your shoulder. He’ll cuddle on your chest or in your lap. I think he’s going to be a big cuddle bug.”

Hefty still needs to be brought up to weight and treated for his infection, but the Humane Society expects that he’ll be ready for adoption in a couple weeks.

***If you’d like to help the Elkhart County humane society and animals like Hefty, the center is in desperate need of cat food and dog food. They are accepting donations of “Purina” brand dog food or cat food or monetary donations. For more information log on to their website at http://www.elkharthumanesociety.org/.