Know the guy in this photo? If so, tell him this isn’t the proper way to surrender kittens.
On June 5, our surveillance cameras captured the man above and a friend as they abandoned two 4-month-old kittens by literally opening our front door and throwing them in. The incident happened to Domino, suffering from a fractured leg and Demi, seemingly in good health around 5 pm. Two men were seen on security video driving up to the shelter and one getting out of the car with the cats in his arms.
“You see them pull up, grab two kittens wrapped in a towel, open the door, toss them into the lobby, get back in the car and leave,” explained Brad Lippe, facilities manager at Humane Society Naples.
The cats were abandoned inside the lobby of our main shelter. It is illegal, by Collier County ordinance, to abandon animals on public or private property. That ordinance is even posted on the front gate of HSN. Fines can be up to $500 for repeat offenders.
Humane Society Naples wants to help as many animals in our community as possible and would have very likely accepted these kittens into our care if the appropriate procedures had been taken. Options are available to the public if assistance is needed and Humane Society Naples encourages patrons to ring the doorbell at our intake entrance and discuss their situation with a staff member. Abandoning animals is unsafe and puts them at risk. There is a $20 fee to surrender a cat at HSN. You just need to set up an appointment, so space is assured for the animal.
Humane Society Naples intends to pursue those who abandon animals on our property as well. HSN is studying the surveillance video to identify the car and the suspect seen in the video. If you have any information that can help bring attention to this case, please contact Executive Director Sarah Baeckler Davis at sarah@hsnaples.org or by calling our main number 239-643-1555.
If you would like to support the care of Demi and Domino, who will likely need surgery to repair her injured leg, please visit hsnaples.org/donate.
Please note: City of Naples Police and Collier County Domestic Animal Services have been notified.
