Yesterday, shelter workers at Richmond Animal Care and Control (RACC) in Richmond, Virginia, were shocked when they saw what was left at their front door.
Two large cardboard boxes were sitting there, containing a total of 15 adult cats. It appears that the boxes had been taped shut.
According to WWBT News, shelter visitors reported that they saw someone dump the boxes, then run back to a green, cube-shaped car with New Jersey license plates, before speeding away.
While the reason behind the irresponsible dumping is unclear, it could be due to the RACC’s fee requirement to surrender animals. However, people who are experiencing financial difficulties can qualify to have the fee waived.
On a Facebook post regarding the incident, the shelter added a reminder that these kinds of drop-offs are completely unnecessary: “Remember that RACC is an open admission shelter and we provide many options for pet retention and relinquishment that prevent acts like this.”
Currently, the already-full shelter promises to care for the cats, but they’re also seeking the help of adopters and fosters. In order to help clear the shelter, they are running a $20 adoption special through the rest of August, as posted on their Facebook page.
The RACC is still searching for the person(s) who abandoned over a dozen cats, and encourage anyone with information to contact them on Facebook or by phone, (804) 646-5573.
We’re glad that the cats are alright, and will have a second chance at a better life. It’s fortunate that their former owners did not resort to killing them in some monstrous way. Still, there is no excuse why these poor animals had to be dumped on a doorstep rather than surrendered responsibly.
(h/t: WWBT/NBC 12)
