This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Nearly three weeks after someone tossed four kittens and a mother cat onto the freeway, the case is unsolved and a newly increased $7,500 reward remains unclaimed.
The cats were thrown onto Interstate 15 in Davis County from a moving pickup truck on Oct. 31. A woman saw the incident and circled back around, where she found two surviving kittens. The mother cat and the other kittens died.
The Humane Society of the United States announced Tuesday that it is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to a conviction in the case. In an email, the society's Utah director, Sundays Hunt, called the incident "an appalling act of cruelty."
The money is double the $2,500 the society offered immediately after the incident. The Human Society of Utah, which is independent of the national society, also is offering a $2,500 reward, according to communication director Carl Arky, bringing the total potential reward to $7,500.
The cats reportedly were tossed from a maroon Ford F-150 about 4:35 p.m. near Kaysville. The truck was traveling about 60 mph and had two people inside.
The surviving kittens were taken to the Davis County Animal Shelter where they were vaccinated. They were then transferred to CAWS, an animal welfare organization, where they were put up for adoption.
Anyone with information about the incident is urged to call Utah Highway Patrol Trooper Ashley Creighton at 801-447-8120.
Twitter: @jimmycdii