SALEM, MASS. (WHDH) - Nearly four dozen cats and kittens are recouping in Massachusetts following a long flight from Texas, with animal rescue staff hoping to put them up for adoption in the near future.
Staff from MSPCA-Angell and the Northeast Animal Shelter (NEAS) welcomed 47 felines at the New Bedford Regional Airport over the weekend before bringing them to the Northeast Animal Shelter in Salem.
The cats were relocated to New England as part of an effort to relieve the SPCA of Texas, a shelter that officials say is being “overrun with pets during a particularly busy period of animal intake in the South.”
“This transport comes at a critical time for the South,” explained Jamie Garabedian, NEAS assistant director of operations. “As the weather gets warmer, shelters will likely see an increase in how many cats and kittens come in, so it’s important to free up some space there, while getting these cats here where we’re confident they’ll find new loving homes.”
“Our relocation program brought more than 4,000 pets to Massachusetts in 2022 alone, and we’re aiming to bring even more this year, through transports just like this one,” she said in a statement.
On their Twitter account, MSPCA-Angell described the cats as being “short, medium & long-hairs between six months and eight years old,” adding that personnel hope to have the animals up for adoption after the cats go through a quarantine period and receive all necessary medical treatment.
The intake comes days before the MSPCA’s “Giving Day” on March 23, when the organization said it plans to hold a full day of live informational sessions to help the public learn more about their mission and other efforts to rescue pets from across the country.
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