People who live in Muncie, Indiana can now payoff their parking tickets by donating cat food to a cat shelter called Muncie Animal Care and Services. Currently, the animal shelter has approximately 350 cats and kittens that need food and other cat supplies. This overwhelming situation made the local police step in and offer a unique, heart-warming solution. Instead of using money to payoff their parking tickets, Muncie residents can now donate cat food to the shelter.
The police encourage people to do this as a way of helping the shelter provide enough food for homeless cats and kittens. Residents can also donate cat litter, beds and blankets to keep the animals warm and comfortable, especially in the winter.
In a Twitter post, the Muncie Police department announced the news: “Pay your parking tickets in cat food! Until Friday the 19th at 4 pm, we are allowing folks to pay their parking tickets in cat food, kitten food or kitten litter! Bring a donation in the amount of your ticket. The @MuncieACS is overrun with cats and kittens. We want to help!”
In response to this extraordinary and inspiring initiative by the police, the cat shelter showed their gratefulness in a social media post:
“MACS has partnered with the Muncie Police Department with a wonderful program that allows people who have parking tickets to pay their tickets with cat/kitten food, litter, wet/pate canned food, beds, blankets, etc. in lieu of paying with money. We’re in dire need of supplies for the large volume of cats/kittens being cared for here at MACS and they keep pouring in our doors. We are incredibly grateful for the support we receive from the community and this is such a wonderful opportunity to help your local shelter.”
Though the program is running for only one week, it gives Muncie residents the opportunity to help the shelter out and show their love for cats and kittens. According to Jamie Brown of the Muncie Police Department said in a video, “Being here is just an overwhelming need; you can see it immediately for the animals. They need paper towels, litter and food. The need is there.”
As the posts about the program surfaced on the Internet, it immediately gained a lot of praises not only from Indiana residents but also from people all over the US and other countries. One of the commenters, Monica Hail wrote, “Wow! What a wonderful idea, more cities should adopt this idea. Would help out the homeless pets and the shelters who care for them as well.”
Another commenter, Ms Phit said, “Love this! Compassionate governance – we certainly need more of this in the U.S. Kenna Kristine Chapman also added, “I find that so sweet it led me to tears. It’s so sad how there are so many animals in shelters that really do need food and love.”
Recently, Las Vegas initiated a similar program that allows the residents to payoff their parking tickets with school supplies such as pencils, erasers, pens, index cards, paper towels and disinfectant wipes.
Such initiatives from the two states give people hope that someday, this effort will be a universal practice and no more pets will feel unloved and neglected. Watch the video below to know more about this noble program.