05/27/2026
🙋♀️😿From Tammy: The True Cost of Dumping Cats
“I am writing this open letter to anyone who dumps or abandons domestic cats, whether that be in the woods, on the streets, or in front of a shelter or sanctuary.
You may think you are doing the right thing for the cats, but this is absolutely NOT the case. What you actually did was create an ENORMOUS problem.
The person who made the decision to dump 12 cats right outside of our sanctuary at 3am last week not only put those cats at risk, but also EVERY animal we have ever rescued 💔.
Consequences of this decision:
- ALL of our rescued cats needed to be locked indoors for an extended period of time to avoid contracting diseases the dumped cats may have carried 🦠.
- Our hardworking staff, interns, and volunteers took DAYS out of their regular duties caring for OUR rescued cats (including FIVE new rescues and a critical lion) to safely catch these domestic cats 🐈⬛.
- The temporary holding rescue and eventual spaying/neutering and adoptive rescues now have TWELVE more cats (many of which are pregnant) to find placements for 🐈.
The cats you dropped off could have been killed by coyotes, come through our fences and been snagged by a big cat, been hit on the road, or starved to death in the woods.
I hope you read this and realize not only did you hurt the cats you thought you were trying to save, but you also hurt many people and other rescues in ways deeper than you know.
You might have been overwhelmed, but rescues and the people behind them are overwhelmed each day. You need to do better.
If you have ever considered dumping unwanted pets the ‘easy way out,’ please consider that it is NEVER easy for rescues and sanctuaries like us ❌.”
Thanks to our amazing team, all of the cats have now been caught and have rescue placement. Our operations are finally back to normal after DAYS (and nights!) spent handling this issue.
