At Harbor Humane Society in Michigan, staff members work tirelessly to protect animals and prevent people from leaving them outside.

To discourage abandonment, they placed a clear sign near the front entrance that reads:

“Do not abandon an animal here. Wait until business hours. No fee for bringing an animal to HHS. For the sake of the animal, please be humane.”

A second sign with the same message hangs behind the building, close to a picnic table where employees often take breaks.

For a long time, people followed the shelter’s request. But one morning, everything changed.

A Painful Discovery

When a staff member arrived early to open the shelter, everything seemed normal at first. The front area was quiet, and nothing appeared out of place. But when the employee walked behind the b

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