Cats overwhelm local shelter after unusual discovery
On May 22 the people at Little Shelter Animal Rescue & Adoption Center rescued more than 20 abandoned cats living in squalor in an unidentified Centerport home. Neighbors and the new property owner called the shelter after the previous residents were evicted.
David Ceely, executive director of Little Shelter, which manages the Huntington shelter, said the situation was initially too much for its responder to handle.
“This is not a daily occurrence,” he said. “We typically get calls about a couple of animals abandoned not usually something this large.”
After Ceely entered the house with trappers, the cats scattered. Authorities identified extreme living conditions, while trying to catch the animals. They found rooms fouled with old, soiled newspaper in litter boxes and empty food and water bowls. The cats were forced to escape through a broken basement window in search of food and water.
Ceely also noticed that a stove top burner had been left on.
“Cats love to move around and jump on things, that gas burner had to have been running for weeks, not only is that danger but this could have ended a lot worse than it did,” he said.
The captured cats will be vaccinated, spayed or neutered and fit with a microchip.
Ceely said some of the cats were put up for adoption last weekend. The rest need to be evaluated to make sure they are ready for a new home.
“The biggest way to help us is to adopt and donate to help offset the medical cost,” Ceely said.
The executive director said the facility has too many cats that need homes. They hope people adopt the animals, since the facility is maxed out on its capacity.
For more information on the shelter, call 631-368-8770 or visit www.littleshelter.com.