NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) – Police rescued 21 cats from a locked and unoccupied van in the Upper East Side early Saturday morning, officials said.
Just before 5 a.m. authorities received a 911 call reporting kittens locked in a Chrysler Pacifica parked near 1st Avenue and East 63rd Street, police confirmed.
According to a post made by the NYPD’s 19th Precinct on X, “With freezing temps our cops acted fast & with the help of our Emergency Services Unit, freed the 21 felines & transported them to @NYCACC for care.”
The post also contains a video of an officer with the kittens post-rescue.
Police believe that the cats were left in the cold overnight, with temperatures in the 30s, but said that they seemed in good health.
In a quote of the 19th Precinct’s post, the NYPD made a post that read “BURRRR! 🥶🐈 What a purrrfect rescue by @NYPD19Pct & @NYPDSpecialops to start the day. Have a safe & warm Saturday, NYC.”
The cats were taken to Animal Care and Control to be examined and treated further.
No arrests have been made in relation to this incident, and the investigation is ongoing.