AURORA, Colo. -- Authorities are trying to determine if a mutilated cat found in the south metro area and two mutilated cats found in Aurora are connected to nine similar animal mutilations in the same area last year.

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What Cat Owners Are Doing About Recent Animal Mutilations

Two cats were found June 6. One was in Centennial and one was in Aurora. Another mutilated cat was found in Aurora on June 10. Animal control officers declined to go into detail about what happened to the cats to protect the integrity of their investigation.

Cheryl Conway, spokeswoman for Aurora's Animal Care Division, said her department is working with law enforcement and the Denver Dumb Friends League in an effort to identify those responsible. She refused to say if the mutilations appear to be the work of a single person, or a group.

In the previous cases, nine cats were mutilated and dumped in an area along South Peoria Street, from Mississippi Avenue to Cornell Avenue. The mutilations stopped last November. The two cats mutilated recently in Aurora were found in the area of South Peoria and Yale Avenue.

A pet rabbit and two wild squirrels have also been found mutilated in the same area last year.

There is a $12,000 reward offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the case. Tips can be phoned into Aurora Animal Care are (303) 326-8288.

Additional Resource:

Where To Report Animal Cruelty