Cat shelters removed from medical facility property, animals advocates protest – Scranton Times-Tribune
SCRANTON — Concerned residents took to social media recently to protest the removal of dozens of cat shelters from the woods on Allied Services’ property on the Morgan Highway this week.
They say the absence of the shelters will mean many of more than 60 feral cats who call the area home will die without food and a safe haven.
But officials from the medical facility say the cats were causing unsafe conditions for provision of services, which include rehabilitation, hospice care and assisted living.
Allied Services Vice President Jim Brogna said the medical facility has been unfairly villainized by members of the community, who have accused them of animal cruelty. He fears the allegations will unfairly affect the facility’s reputation, creating hatred for an “organization that’s 65 years old and has an impeccable reputation for human care.”
Providing cat care
Scott Welsh said he understands Allied’s concerns regarding safety and aesthetics, but is concerned about the cats’ health and safety as well.
Welsh said when he retired a few years ago, he began channeling his energy into volunteering his services to help animals, including building and constructing shelters for cats.
Welsh installed several of his cat shelters at Allied and regularly visited the property to provide food for the cats living there, especially when temperatures plunged below freezing.
“I never really made friends with the cats because they are feral,” he said. “But, we were doing all we could do to make their lives better.”
He said he was one of many who were caring for the cats at Allied Services as well as other sites.
When Allied posted a sign several weeks ago saying the area was private property and that the shelters would be discarded after two weeks, Welsh said he attempted to get in touch with administrators of the facility, but wasn’t able to get through.
He moved the shelters farther back in the woods so that they couldn’t be seen from the roadway.
He was hoping he could come to a compromise with Allied, that would provide a safe haven for the felines.
But, Brogna said it wasn’t a matter of simply seeing the shelters, but of the health concerns they caused on the property.
The organization feels its inappropriate for a health care facility to have cats on their property. He points out that the animals don’t stay in an specific area near the roadway, but instead wander throughout the whole campus, he said.
In addition to causing a health hazard, visitors often have to avoid hitting the cats, which often make their way onto the facility’s roads, he said.
The answer is to spay and neuter the cats and relocate them to an appropriate location, he said.
There is no other acceptable solution, Brogna said.
Welsh said out of more than 60 cats, he was able to get 38 spayed or neutered and returned to the property.
But, its difficult to trap feral cats who are able to avoid traps, he said.
Animal loving staffers
Brogna said many of the staff at the facility have pets, some which have been rescued from shelters. He, himself, volunteered at Griffin Pond Animal Shelter for over a year.
The facility also has two programs which emphasize the benefits of spending time with a pet. The Pet Peace of Mind program enables hospice patients to keep their pets at home throughout their end-of-life journey and the Compassionate Care program brings therapy dogs onto campus to spend time with residents.
In addition, the organization waited until the temperatures rose before taking down the shelters, Brogna said.
One sure thing
Welsh has two pet cats which he rescued from bad situations: Gabby and Bob.
Welsh rescued Gabby years ago after he was abandoned at a renal property in a plastic bag.
Bob was found with a severe neck injury and Welsh nursed him back to health over the course of several months.
Welsh said he understands Allied’s safety concerns and admits he doesn’t have a solution to the problem. The best solution, he said, would be if there were enough owners to care for all the cats.
But, because that is not possible, its important to provide quality lives for the feral felines, he said.
Of one thing Welsh is sure.
“This was in no way their fault,” he said.
Welsh took to his Facebook page to complain about Allied Services’ decision to remove the cat shelters from its property, with the post shared more than 350 times.
“People care about this,” he said. “Those cats weren’t hurting anyone.”
Temporary shelters for feral cats on property owned by Allied Services were recently dismantled and eventually discarded. (SUBMITTED)
Gabby, an abandoned cat rescued by Scott Welsh after he was left in a plastic bag in a rental property. (SUBMITTED)
Temporary shelters for feral cats on property owned by Allied Services were recently dismantled and eventually discarded. (SUBMITTED)
Temporary shelters for feral cats on property owned by Allied Services were recently dismantled and eventually discarded. (SUBMITTED)
Scott Welsh of Clarks Summit has worked to save cats over the years. Shown is his cat Bob who he rescued after a severe injury. (SUBMITTED)
Originally Published: March 20, 2025 at 4:41 PM EDT
