UPDATE: Animal control officer’s handling of sick kitten causing controversy

The handling of a sick stray kitten by an animal control officer is causing local outrage in Sussex County.

Ocean View resident Kurt Herring says a litter of kittens live in his neighborhood, and he says he found one kitten abandoned by the mother on Wednesday.

According to Herring, that kitten is important because it was that one that caused him to call animal control.

Herring says the kitten had an infected eye and was struggling to eat and drink.

Not long after he called an animal control officer came out and allegedly promised to find a new home.

Herring says otherwise, claiming that research shows that cat was dropped off in a wooded area near Milford.

"In no way shape or form  did I feel that he was looking, or had this animal's best interest in mind," said Herring.  "There's no way you drop a 2-3-month-old kitten who's been abandoned by his mom with an infected eye out in the woods and expect that cat to live two nights in an unprotected unsafe environment."

We received the following statement from Office of Animal Welfare Director Christina Motoyoshi:

"In this case the kitten should have been taken to the shelter for care, or information provided to the individual who called for area shelters and rescues that might assist.  The officer made a serious error in judgement, and instead released it in a wooded area away from where it is found, which is not in line with OAW protocol on dealing with free-roaming cats.  The officer truly regrets his actions.  We have re-educated the officer about the appropriate protocol and will be re-educating all of our officers as well."