By Amy Zimmer
DNAinfo News Editor
MANHATTAN — Every night, pictures of adorable kittens and cuddly puppies are loaded onto two Facebook sites. Their appearances are a last ditch attempt to save them from certain death.
All the animals are slated to be euthanized the next morning.
Among 35 pictures of cats uploaded onto "Pets on Death Row" Monday was Courtney, a female 18-month-old who sneezes. Azalie is pictured next to her, a five-year-old female who is said to be a hisser when approached.
It's sister site, "Urgent Part 2," posted a picture of King, a three-year-old bulldog mix who was to be put down because of his temper. Chanyan, a one-year-old pit bull mix said to have a cold, is also pictured.
In an effort to encourage people to adopt or rescue these animals from Animal Care and Control at the 11th hour, the sites — set up by unnamed animal advocates — feature notes leaked by workers on why the animals are about to be killed. The reasons vary from illness to temper.
But many advocates claim the reasons are often more mundane. They say the three city facilities — one of which is in Manhattan at 326 East 110th St. — simply lack the space to keep the animals.
Advocates say they want better accountability of why these pets are sent to their deaths. And they're hopeful that new legislation will help by requiring that shelters keep paper and digital records documenting how they're finding homes for these animals.
The Companion Animal Access and Rescue Act, unveiled Monday by state Assemblyman Micah Kellner, who represents the Upper East Side, would also allow rescue groups to recover animals from shelters and pounds — expanding the law beyond individuals, as is currently allowed.
It would require that animals are given fresh food and water, clean living environments and give rescue groups whistleblower protections if they speak out against bad shelter practices.
Marina Guvenc, an animal activist who has rescued several cats from Manhattan and lives in Westchester, said some animals are labeled as having temper problems, when they're really panicking because of their environment.
"Putting a label on a scared cat who's not aggressive makes it really hard for us" to encourage people or groups to rescue the animals, she said.
"Some of these cats, there's nothing wrong with them."
Guvenc was inspired to rescue cats after seeing pictures taken by Mark Ross, whose book "Animal Shelter Portraits," taken in the 110th Street shelter, is expected to come out in September.
She saw one cat who had been shot with three BBs in his rear and then had caught a cold in the shelter. That cat now lives with her mother.
"It's like your heart just shatters because these animals are on death row," Guvenc said.
"Sometimes it's a miracle and every cat or dog [posted on the sites] will be saved …. But the next day there's a batch of 20 more dogs and cats. It's never ending."
With the summer coming up — which is the high season for abandoned cats — Guvenc is especially worried that many more cats will populate "Pets on Death Row."
Sherry Reisch, a volunteer with the League of Humane Voters of New York, was optimistic that the new legislation would result in qualified people being able to rescue more animals.
"Shelters are killing animals that are totally healthy, animals that deserve a second chance of life," she said.
Animal Care and Control did not respond for comment.
