Humane Society "Crippled" After Vans Vandalized
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NORTH MIAMI BEACH (CBSMiami) - The Humane Society says it's going to suffer greatly after eight of their nine vehicles, used for helping animals, were vandalized.
Sometime around 1 AM, the cars in the parking lot of the Humane Society of Greater Miami, located at 16101 W Dixie Highway in North Miami Beach, and an adjacent parking lot, were vandalized.
The damaged is estimated at thousands of dollars.
"We are utterly devastated about what has happened," says Laurie Hoffman, Executive Director of the Humane Society of Greater Miami. "Some employees came in to get the vans ready for deliveries and to do our normal day-to-day stuff and the car wouldn't start."
When employees opened the hoods, they realized the batteries were gone. Some of the cables were also cut.
The vandalism, the Humane Society said, prevents the organization from performing its daily operations which often requires transporting animals.
"Animals cannot be taken to hospitals to receive emergency care that its own medical team cannot provide; pets cannot be transferred to our partner, Pet Supermarket, to be put up for adoption; and food and necessary pet supplies cannot be transported to the shelter," the organization said.
North Miami Beach Police detectives were called out to the facility. Investigators are reviewing surveillance which shows a dark-colored SUV driving up to one of the vans. At least one man is seen coming out of the SUV. The man is seen prying the van of the hood open. For several minutes, whatever the man is doing is hard to see, but then the man's vehicle is seen driving off.
Volunteers at the facility are saddened knowing what the van vandalism has done to the organization.
"People should have better things to do than taking advantage of people trying to do good," Cheryn Smilen said.
The organization is looking for donations, whether it be financial or in the form of a van for temporary use, to help during "these unfortunate circumstances."
To make a donation, click here or call 305-749-1815.
