Duluth Shelter Sees Several Animals Abandoned Outside, Says Abuse And Neglect Of Pets Is Rising

DULUTH, Minn. — Animal Allies says it’s seeing a disturbing trend pick up: more abuse and neglect cases of Northland pets.

The Duluth-based animal shelter made two posts on Facebook just this week about pets being abandoned.

In the first post, they wrote that two puppies were discovered taped up in a dirty box on the side of the road.

The next day, shelter staff wrote that a cat was found tied inside a bag and dumped in the Menards parking lot in Hermantown.

Fortunately in both of these cases, Good Samaritans found them in time and brought them to the shelter.

It’s a criminal offense to abandon an animal in Minnesota.

Animal Allies is urging those who can no longer take care of their pets to bring them to the shelter when its open, or just give them a call to start the conversation about the surrender process.

The organization says donations help care for animals who come in needing a lot of support after they’re abandoned, neglected, or abused.

If a pet owner does surrender their animal to the Duluth shelter, they will be charged a fee to help support the care of their pet.

It’s $100 per dog, $45 for one cat or $65 for up to three cats, and $100 for a cat mom and her kittens.