It’s sadly not rare to come across animals that have been left alone in awful conditions. This is a tough reality for those who dedicate their lives to animal welfare.
Despite laws against it in many places, animals are still being abandoned. A striking example happened at an animal shelter in Lewisburg, Tennessee. One day, someone left a cardboard box at the shelter’s front door and just walked away.
When the shelter staff checked the box, they found eight very thin kittens inside, all silently looking up with eyes full of hope for some compassion and care.
A Shocking Discovery
The spokesperson for Lucky’s Cat House, a nonprofit animal shelter in Tennessee, shared a surprising story with The Dodo. Jaclyn Payne, the president of the shelter, was at the adoption lobby when she saw a car stop briefly at their entrance and then speed away.
Curious and puzzled, Payne went outside to investigate and found a cardboard box placed right at the doorstep. The box had a handwritten note attached to its lid.
Upon opening the box, Payne was horrified. Inside were eight tiny kittens, about 5 weeks old, staring up at her, clearly in need of help.
The shelter expressed their shock on Facebook: “Today, we faced a situation at Lucky’s. A box containing 8 fragile and starving kittens was cruelly dumped at our front door. While we have a systematic intake process and a waiting list, emergencies like this remind us of the challenges we face.”
The shock was universal among the shelter staff at the thought of someone abandoning these innocent animals so openly.
The kittens were obviously disoriented and frightened. “They were confused because they didn’t understand what was happening, relieved because they were out of the box, and scared because they were in a completely new environment,” the shelter’s spokesperson explained to The Dodo.
Acknowledging that animal dumping is a crime in Tennessee, the shelter had taken preventive measures like installing security cameras and posting warning signs.
Thanks to the footage from the security cameras and quick action by the Lewisburg Police Department, the person responsible for abandoning the kittens was identified and charged.
Fostering Saves Lives
The shelter was already at full capacity and struggled to find room and resources for these needy kittens. They reached out to the community for help.
“We urgently need foster homes for these 8 innocent kittens who have nowhere else to go. Our capacity is maxed out, and we’re struggling to provide them with the care they deserve. If you have a spare room or any space to offer these kittens a temporary home, please let us know,” the shelter pleaded in their post.
Fostering is vital as it provides a chance for homeless, rescued animals to grow in a healthy and happy environment. It also helps free up space in shelters, allowing them to help more animals. “In short, fostering saves lives,” said the shelter’s representative.
The shelter’s urgent plea paid off as all eight abandoned kittens were placed in safe, loving foster homes.
These kittens will stay with their foster families until they are fully vetted, fixed, and ready to be adopted. Given how adorable they are, it’s likely they’ll find their forever homes very quickly.
If you’re interested in fostering or adopting cats like these, please visit the Lucky’s Cat House website.
