Suddenly, out of nowhere, the door to the shelter opens and a box is thrusted inside. As the box slides across the floor, the person slams the door behind them and speeds off in a car.
Confused cats
Unfortunately, the staff could guess what was inside the box.
As they looked inside, they found two bewildered adult cats, one black and white and the other a tortoiseshell.
In a heart-wrenching video watched 3.7 million times, a Brother Wolf Animal Rescue staff member opens the cardboard box to reveal two disoriented cats peering out as if looking for their owner.
The cats' traumatic arrival at the shelter highlights the grim reality shelters in the UK face. Around 160,000 cats are handed into shelters each year.
But the appalling way these cats were taken to the shelter – thrown in a box and abandoned – left staff feeling both angry and heartbroken. Unfortunately, they could not identify the owners as their CCTV didn't pick up the car's number plate and their faces were obscured as they hastily fled.
Plea for responsible pet surrenders
While staff emphasise that shelters don't pass judgment on owners who have to give up their pets, there are responsible ways to hand over a pet to a shelter.
The two-year-old cats, Theodore and Juniper, were examined by the vet and found to have infections and signs of distress. Theodore, in particular, exhibited stress panting, a rare and sometimes dangerous feline condition.
Fortunately, after receiving medical care and affection in a foster home, the cats saw their fortunes change. After just three weeks, they found a permanent home, much to the joy of the shelter staff.
