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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Wayside Waifs released photos of 12 malnourished kittens that were dumped at their shelter Thursday morning.

A manager discovered two large plastic containers sitting at the entrance of the building Thursday morning. On top was a handwritten note. It read, “Please take these kittens and help them find good homes. It’s to (sic) many for me. Please and thank you.”

Inside the totes were 12 tiny kittens. The totes had several holes drilled into the lids so the animals could breathe.

“It’s a lot more than we usually get,” said Ashley McCoy, veterinary technician manager of Wayside Waifs. “We’re just happy someone took the time to put them in a durable box and made sure they were able to receive oxygen.”

Wayside’s veterinary staff immediately gave the kittens medical evaluations and vaccinations. Because the kittens are sick, scared and underweight, they will go into foster care until they are healthy enough to return to the shelter.

When the kittens are eventually available for adoption, they will be listed on Wayside’s website, waysidewaifs.org.