Pasadena Humane officials say 19 adult cats were found in the back of a stolen U-Haul living in “deplorable conditions.” Now the animal shelter is waiving fees on all cat adoptions in hopes of finding them new homes.
The discovery of the 19 cats was made Friday morning in Monrovia, after police responded to reports of the stolen moving truck.
The vehicle was towed by police to a nearby lot where they later discovered the adults cats “living in filth, surrounded by feces and maggots.”
Animal control officers were called to the scene and the animals were transferred to the care of Pasadena Humane. The cats are currently being monitored and evaluated by veterinary staff and officials say the shelter is doing everything it can to ensure their well-being.
But the arrival of 19 new shelter occupants comes at a time when Pasadena Humane is already experiencing overcrowding.
In hopes of alleviating this stress and encourage adoption, all cat and kitten adoption fees are being waived through Sunday.
“This initiative aims to help make room for the intake of these rescued cats by encouraging the community to open their hearts and homes,” Pasadena Humane said in a news release.
Officials hope that the community will open their homes to some of the current shelter residents, or potentially donate to the care of these 19 recently rescued felines.
“We hope that by waiving adoption fees, we can find loving homes for our current adoptable cat population and make room for those who need our care,” said Chris Ramon, interim president and CEO of Pasadena Humane.
Ramon also urged anyone struggling to take care of their pets to reach out to animal welfare experts before a situation gets out of control. “Early intervention is key to preventing future crises,” he said.
There is currently limited information about the owner of the cats or the stolen U-Haul, but Pasadena Humane says an investigation is ongoing.
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