PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A Philadelphia animal shelter is giving unadoptable cats a second chance, finding them jobs as pest control at warehouses and factories.
The “Working Cats” program started four years ago at the Animal Care and Control Team shelter, placing the biters and the skittish at barns and stables to work as mousers.
A number of cities around the country have working cat programs, many focused on feral cats. Recently, the Philadelphia shelter’s program has been expanded to give cats that were once in homes, but not a good fit for adoption, a chance to work.
At one Philadelphia beer store, Gary the cat was brought on board to deal with the mice that were destroying the snack aisle. Now, he’s become completely socialized and is a customer favorite.
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