Dog pulled his owners to a garbage bag in an abandoned kennel — when they looked inside, they knew they had to act fast

'It’s heartbreaking and frustrating and so unkind — so cruel,' said Camy Marroquin, the foster.

PUBLISHED 4 HOURS AGO

(L) Dog pulling its owner in a park; (R) A close-up shot of a partially torn garbage bag filled with trash - Representative Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by (L) Capuski; (R) Flaviu Cernea

What started as a routine walk near Knik-Goose Bay Road in Wasilla suddenly turned urgent when a dog began tugging his owners toward an abandoned kennel hidden in the woods. What they saw inside the kennel immediately raised the kind of concern that has now prompted an animal cruelty investigation.

Anonymous guy with purebred dog walking in green park - Representative Image Source: Pexels | Photo by Zen Chung — Anonymous guy with purebred dog walking in green park. (Representative Image Source: Pexels | Photo by Zen Chung)

According to Alaska’s News Source, the good Samaritans found a trash bag inside the kennel containing three kittens, one of which had already died. The kitten was later named Ember. The two others, Aiden and Nina, were alive but in critical condition. Camy Marroquin, a foster with Clear Creek Cat Rescue in Anchorage, agreed to take them in despite being on a break and originally planning to foster only one cat. "I was like, ‘I’m on it,’" she recalled. When the bag was opened, Ember was already gone, Aiden was barely responsive, and Nina was "just wailing."

Trash in a garbage bag - Representative Image Source: Pexels | Photo by
Carlos Daniel — Trash in a garbage bag. (Representative Image Source: Pexels | Photo by Carlos Daniel)

When she brought them home, it was clear Aiden was in serious trouble. "[Aiden] was very cold, kind of out of it, and not able to walk," she told the outlet. Nina was weak but crying loudly, and Aiden was taken straight to a veterinary emergency center. "He was admitted, and he just, you know, you can’t know. All I could do was apologize to him and tell him it wasn’t his fault," Marroquin said. Despite efforts by the staff, Aiden died the following Saturday. According to Chris Loscar, director of Mat-Su Animal Care, this qualifies as animal cruelty, and there is an open investigation going on. "It’s very significant and we do take these very seriously," he explained.

Three cats lying down - Representative Image Source: Pexels | Photo by Israyosoy S. — Three cats lying down. (Representative Image Source: Pexels | Photo by Israyosoy S.)

Cases like this are part of a larger problem. As per stats shared by USA Today, it’s estimated that 10 million animals die from abuse or cruelty each year in the United States, including companion animals, farm animals, wildlife, and those used in laboratories. Less than 0.01% of abuse cases are reported, meaning the actual number is likely far higher.

Loscar added that animal care officers are not law enforcement but can enforce borough codes and issue citations. He also emphasized the importance of microchipping pets, since unidentified animals can only be held for three days before becoming property of the borough.

Meanwhile, Nina, the lone survivor, is recovering in Anchorage. She has since bonded with Otzi, another foster cat Marroquin is caring for. Marroquin had Aiden and Ember cremated together and hopes Clear Creek Cat Rescue will do something special with their ashes. Once Nina is ready, Marroquin hopes both cats can be adopted out together. "It’s heartbreaking and frustrating and so unkind — so cruel," she said. "Whoever adopts Nina will know the story of both of you, of all of you. This cannot happen. It was so wrong. So wrong on so many levels."