Coney Island residents worried over stray cats' wellbeing following shelters' disposal from school property
The community's animal lovers fear the cats won't survive much longer if something is not done.
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Some Coney Island residents said a school threw out shelters for stray cats and no longer allows them to feed the animals on the school property were they once lived.
They say they're heartbroken the strays are no longer allowed on the I.S. 303 staff parking lot, the place that has been a home for them for the last 10 years.
Suzanne Hernandez, a lifelong animal lover, and her husband made the shelters with their own hands. They now fear the cats won't survive much longer if something is not done.
Hernandez said waters for the strays are now thrown away and that they have to feed them under cars because the school doesn’t want them on the property.
She added that they tried to write emails proposing if they can use a different area but are being ignored.
The Department Of Education told News 12 the situation was being handled, but residents showed News 12 pages of emails to and from school staff over recent weeks.
District 21's superintendent proposed an area behind the school be used as a new house for the cats and said that custodial staff would clean it twice a day.
Residents, however, said that exact spot is where the ASCPA donated cat shelters that were stolen. The area also borders a busy entrance to the Belt Parkway which they feel is very dangerous for the strays.
A petition was started to save the cats to let them continue to live in the only place they've known. As of Sunday night, the petition had received over 2,500 signatures.
