Mysterious Benefactor Drops $8,000 in Collection Box at Animal Shelter for Sierra Madre

PASADENA, CA - Someone walked into the Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA’s Neely Cat Center Wednesday and dropped $8,000 in crisp $20 bills into the donation box.

No one knows who to thank for the generous gift, but it will help save countless animals, according to shelter officials. The money will go a long way to provide medical care, food and shelter to the animals, said Humane Society spokeswoman Jamie Holeman.

The shelter rescues 12,000 animals a year on a budget of about $10 million. The shelter takes in cats, dogs and critters from nine cities including Arcadia, Bradbury, La Canada, Monrovia, Glendale, Sierra Madre, Pasadena, South Pasadena, and San Marino. Donations can be made through the Pasadena Humane Society website.

However it’s rare to receive such a large, anonymous donation in cash.

Holeman thinks the donation was made sometime around 11 a.m. Wednesday.

“There was a woman in the Neely Cat Center. She was in there for a while. She asked about our cats,” said Holeman. “After she left we noticed there were a lot of $20 bills in the box.”

“We don’t know who she is. We are not even sure if it was her,” Holeman added.

The benefactor didn’t leave a note or any identifying information.

“Whoever it was, we really want to say ‘thank you so much for your generous donation,’” Holeman said. "If you would like to come forward we would love to offer you a huge thank in person.”

Photos of the collection box and the Neely Cat Center courtesy of Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA