WEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - Volunteers are working to rescue a colony of cats away from a West Miami-Dade demolition site.
The felines have taken up residence at an old trailer park near Southwest 70th Avenue and 12th Street that is set to be demolished.
“These cats were born here,” said rescue volunteer Bibiana Salmon. “They were raised here. They don’t know how to survive anywhere else.”
Volunteers who have been working to catch the cats since Tuesday night are afraid the animals are running underneath the trailers and then getting killed in the demolition.
“With all of the machinery coming in and out, the cats are getting very scared, and they are going under the crawl space,” said Salmon. “Cats are being crushed alive.”
Even if they do survive the demolition, volunteers said the cats have been fed there for years, and they won’t have a home when the park residents leave.
“These cats are healthy,” said Salmon. “These cats are beautiful, and they are grown, but they are used to having their humans feed them. When all these people are gonna be gone, there’s no one left to take care of them. They’re just gonna starve out and die and be roadkill because that’s what they’re gonna become: roadkill.”
It is believed there is a total of 60 to 80 cats in the area.
“Giving them a chance at life definitely for them to survive and to thrive,” said Salmon. “If the cats were to stay here, they would die for sure.”
A representative for the demolition company told 7News that they will make sure all structures are inspected for animals moving forward.
The representative also said the company is willing to assist with the rescue operation.
The challenge after the rescue operation is finding homes for all of the cats.
If you want to help rescue the cats, click here, or email info@operationpaw.com.
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