Seven Cats Dumped Outside Shelter in New York
The Herkimer County Humane Society is investigating the abandonment of seven cats found dumped outside their shelter in the early morning of August 7.
The shelter shared the distressing news in an August 8 Facebook post, condemning the heartless act.
The shelter is facing an overwhelming number of animals and has a waiting list for those looking to surrender their pets. The sudden influx of abandoned cats has further strained their resources and created additional challenges for the staff.
The shelter is urging the public to be patient and responsible when considering surrendering a pet. They emphasize that they are doing their best to care for all animals in their custody.
“It’s not fair to the animals, we do not receive any medical history on them and it leaves them to needlessly be re-vaccinated as well as any pertinent information we can gather from the previous owners,” the pot continues.
“It also isn’t fair to those waiting patiently for their turn as we have a waiting list because of actions like this. We ask that anyone who needs to surrender to any shelter please be patient, we are all doing the best we can.”
The humane society is reviewing security footage and working with law enforcement to identify those responsible for the abandonment.
New York State law prohibits animal abandonment. “New York’s animal abandonment law states that anyone who owns, possesses, or has custody of an animal and abandons it, leaves it to die in a public place, or leaves a disabled animal in a public place for more than three hours after being notified of its disability is guilty of a misdemeanor. The current penalty for animal abandonment is a $1,000 fine or up to one year in jail.”
The incident has sparked outrage and concern in the community, highlighting the ongoing issue of animal abandonment.
In the comment section, many social media users expressed shock and anger, with many condemning the cruelty inflicted upon the helpless animal.
“It’s inhumane and cruel to abandon, abuse, starve, neglect or dump any animal anywhere at any time,” one commenter wrote. “If that is to hard for you to comprehend and understand. Then sweet Jesus I hope and pray the ones that are struggling to grasp that concept do not own pets of any kind.”
“This is very uncalled for these animals don’t deserve this kind of treatment and I hope they find the person or persons that did this,” another added.
Others, however, offered more nuanced perspectives, citing economic hardships and a lack of resources as contributing factors to the problem.
“It’s so sad people are left with no choice..we don’t know their story ..people can barely feed their families lord have mercy on our country when it comes to this let’s work together people,” one commenter wrote.
Some even defended the actions of those who leave animals at shelters, arguing it’s a preferable alternative to abandonment on the streets.
“I would have to say that the person that left them there was acting in good faith. Better than being left on the side of the road or elsewhere to fend for themselves. Isn’t that what the Humane Soc. is there for,” one commenter suggested.
The incident has placed a spotlight on the overwhelming burden faced by animal shelters. The Herkimer County Humane Society is now appealing for donations and volunteers to help care for the influx of abandoned animals.
The incident has shone a spotlight on the growing problem of animal homelessness. According to Shelter Animals Count, the number of animals entering U.S. shelters has increased by 4% since 2022, with a staggering 6.5 million animals taken in last year.
