Man saves paint-covered kitten abandoned in dumpster

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Teal the kitten has had a rough first few weeks of life.

Her foster mom, Wendy Hall-Devoti said she was at Blake’s Lottaburger near Washington and Menaul Saturday, when a man frantically rode up on a bike.

“He’s wearing this really nice blue shirt and a tie and it’s all covered in blue paint,” said Hall-Devoti.

Hall then notices a tiny kitten in his hand also covered in paint.

“Apparently when he was riding by on his bicycle, he heard a kitten meowing really loudly from a dumpster and he jumped in and he found this kitten and all the other kittens were dead,” said Hall-Devoti. “He picked her up and got paint all over his clothes and was trying to find somebody to help.”

Hall said she quickly took the paint-covered kitten and went to get help.

“Her name is Teal and she’s now paint-free but it took about a week,” said Hall-Devoti.

While rushing to save the kitten, she didn’t get any information for the man who saved her.

“We just started wondering what if he was going to a job interview and he didn’t get the job because he saved this kitten,” said Hall-Devoti. “Or what if his boss didn’t believe this big tough guy jumped in to save a kitten and he just came to work all covered in paint and he just lost his job.”

Hall now wants to find the man to let him know Teal is going to be just fine.

“Now we don’t know what happened to him and it was such a good thing to do,” said Hall-Devoti. “You know when you’re on your way somewhere and you stop to save a kitten in a dumpster.”

Animal Welfare officials say this is also kitten season at the shelter. They currently have a special where someone can adopt two kittens six months and under for $50.

People can also help with kitten season by fostering or donating pet items listed at the shelter’s furbaby registry.

Teal will be adoptable from the Albuquerque Animal Shelter in about three weeks. If interested in adopting her, email spayne@cabq.gov.