NEW PHILADELPHIA, Ohio -- Someone driving down Broadway near Front Street in this Tuscarawas County town Sunday had a leashed cat on the hood of their vehicle. It became a spectacle for nearby drivers, and a photo opportunity for Polly Vandall.
"I looked over and glanced to my left and thought 'Is that a cat on the hood?' " she said.
The answer was yes -- and she figured if she didn't take a photo people would never believe her.
"It was walking around and it was not happy to be on the hood. People around the car were staring at the cat -- quite distracted," she said.
That distraction is of concern to Police Chief Michael Goodwin.
"I wish someone got a picture of the license plate. We could follow up very quickly. It's a very bizarre case, unclear if it would violate any animal cruelty laws. It's the public safety of main concern to me. I've never seen anything like it in 25 years on the job."
Vandall posted her photos on Facebook Monday and they went viral -- fast.
"We got calls here at the Police Department from as far away as Florida today," Goodwin told Channel 3.
"I'm blown away by the response," Vandall said. "I'm not passing judgment on this woman. I captured a few seconds of her life. I have no idea what happened right before or right after this moment. "
Police say the vehicle is a gold Buick SUV or cross-over. Anyone with information on the driver or the vehicle is asked to call New Philadelphia police.
