(CNN) What's the cost of a parking ticket in Muncie, Indiana? A donation of cat food or supplies for a local animal shelter.

In an effort to help the Muncie Animal Care and Services Shelter, the Muncie Police Department asked violators to pay their parking tickets in cat food.

The request came after a couple of officers toured the shelter and found that it was running short on supplies to care for over 350 cats and kittens.

"If you have a $25 parking ticket, you can bring up to $25 worth of cat food or litter to the Clerk's Office, and you can get your parking ticket to go away with the exchange of the donation," Officer Jamie Brown said on a July 15 video shared by the police department on Facebook.

Although the offer ran only from July 15 through July 19, the department quickly learned that people will do practically anything when little balls of fur are involved.

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