Ring video (see below) shows the Bergen County Animal Shelter and Adoption Center volunteer pulling up in an SUV and leaving the kitten on a snow-shoveled sidewalk on Diamond Way in Moonachie shortly before 2:30 p.m. this past Sunday.
There apparently is a colony of strays up the street, which may explain why the woman dropped the cat in that neighborhood.
The homeowner, Barbara Morales, said she scooped up the kitten, returned her to the shelter in nearby Teterboro and notified local police.
The young feline reportedly was doing fine.
A police sergeant who is also an animal cruelty investigator spoke with a supervisor at the shelter who "stated that there was an internal investigation underway," Moonachie Police Chief Richard Behrens said Friday.
Behrens said he's awaiting the results of that investigation before determining how to proceed.
Shelter Director Deborah Yankow confirmed the investigation and noted that county authorities were also notified. She said she couldn't comment further at the moment because of the pending investigation (see video below).
HERE's THE VIDEO:
An employee at the shelter noted that Yankow was "investigating it thoroughly" herself.
The employee, who spoke on condition of anonymity, also expressed hope that what appears to be an isolated alleged lapse in judgment doesn't reflect on dedicated volunteer co-workers.
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