Good Hope Animal Hospital stepped in to take 30 cats removed on Thursday from the jeep of a man traveling cross country. 22 cats are placed, and 8 more still need adopters to take them.
John Molnar III was traveling from NJ to TX when his jeep broke down in Hampden Township, PA on Thursday and he pulled in to a Pep Boys to have it serviced. Pep boys noticed cats in the vehicle and said they would not work on the jeep on a hot day until the animals were removed.
The Humane Society of Harrisburg Area serves the area through a contract with the county, but refused to help with the cats or send a humane officer because their contract agreement is for stray dog control and not cats.
Good Hope Animal Hospital agreed to help, and to take the cats after Molnar agreed to give them up. After first saying he was transporting the cats, he then said they were all his and he was taking them with him on the long trip.
When they looked in the jeep, Good hope staff found 30 kittens and cats stacked into two crates. The animals were hot, underfed and covered in filth, and ranged in age from newborns to 4 year olds. Good Hope staff said they were pleasantly surprised when all of the animals quickly responded to care and feeding, and showed immediate improvement.
Local rescues Compassionate Heart Animal Rescue, and Castaway Critters, as well as local media and individuals have all assisted one way or another to make this a successful rescue effort. As of this evening, only 8 of the cats need placement.
Good Hope encouraged people to take the cats by letting them know that each cat would come fully included with vaccines, microchip, medications if needed and follow up spay or neuter at no cost to the adopter. They asked for a voluntary donations to a fund set up for followup care for the kittens and cats.
Hampden police investigated the matter, and Molnar now faces 30 counts of animal cruelty because of the condition the cats were found in.
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