The arrival of summer brings with it a wave of animal abandonment as vacation departures approach. Central New York SPCA is already struggling to cope with the influx of abandoned animals. Recently, a heartbreaking incident occurred when a female cat and her kittens were abandoned outside the shelter’s entrance during the night.

The incident happened on the night of June 5 to June 6, when a transport crate containing the feline family was left at the main door of the Central New York SPCA shelter in Syracuse. The cats had likely spent the whole night outside, which deeply concerned the shelter staff, as they feared for the kittens’ survival.

The shelter is already close to saturation in terms of capacity, with over 100 cats and kittens currently housed, all of whom were either brought in by their former families, abandoned, or victims of cruelty. The staff expressed their disappointment and reminded people that leaving animals overnight at the shelter is prohibited, as it exposes them to various dangers like cold, rain, lightning, and wild animals in the area.

The association emphasizes the importance of following the proper procedure to entrust an animal to the shelter, particularly for the animals’ medical care and well-being.

In light of June being National Adopt-A-Cat Month in the United States, the Central New York SPCA has halved adoption fees for cats over one year old. They hope that this will encourage more adoptions and help save lives while alleviating the shelter’s overcrowding.

The recently rescued feline family is now in good hands at the shelter. They will receive thorough examination, care, and identification. Once the kittens are old enough, they will be sterilized, and all of them will eventually be offered for adoption, aiming to find them loving forever homes.