OLIVE TOWNSHIP, Mich. — A cat, now named Cape Cod Todd, was abandoned outside the Harbor Humane Society in Ottawa County, left in a taped-shut laundry basket for nearly 12 hours before being discovered by staff.
Security footage shows a masked man leaving the cat outside the facility Sunday night. The individual approached from the woods, apparently to avoid license plate cameras.
"He had masked his face so we weren't able to identify him," said Jen Self-Aulger, Harbor Humane Society Executive Director. "Also, we do have, like, a camera that will, you know, capture licenses, but he actually came out of the woods, so I think probably was aware of the cameras we had."
Staff found the cat Monday morning when they arrived at work.
"The cat was, you know, found outside," Self-Augler said. "So, they looked inside. The laundry basket was taped shut, and there was a cat in it."
Despite the ordeal of being left outside on a rainy night, Cape Cod Todd is recovering well.
"Was very hungry, very thirsty, definitely, you know, took right to eating a full meal and drinking water, but really just wanted affection, wanted to be held, to be pet," Self-Aulger said.
The shelter has signs warning against abandoning animals, but Self-Aulger says it still happens several times annually.
"We're absolutely not trying to shame the owner, because we understand that things happen. But I also think we need to set the bar a little bit higher for compassion and empathy for animals," she said.
Cape Cod Todd is considered a stray and won't be available for adoption until June 16.
Harbor Humane Society provides resources for individuals who require assistance with pet care. For more information, click here
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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