Plans to save several dozen cats inside a blighted building in Lehighton remain underway.

Scheduled for demolition shortly, the building at 135-139 N. First St. has been deemed “dangerous” by officials.

Donna Crum, retired Humane Society Police Officer for Carbon County, posted that she spoke with borough Manager Dane DeWire and picked up more food to lure the cats.

Meanwhile, she is trying to set up places to take the cats once captured.

“We have a nonprofit farm sanctuary willing to take up to four ferals, another barn will take four,” Crum said.

Volunteers were able to get 50 distemper and feline leukemia tests donated. They have three transports, four local trappers, and a garage that can hold eight to nine cats while quarantined.

More experienced people are needed to care for the cats, Crum, who added transports to destinations. “We have a few interested parties interested in adopting any domicile cats and we already know some are already spayed/neutered,” Crum said. “We also have donations of food coming in and other vets willing to spay/neuter as well. We anticipate maybe there will be kittens and/or maybe compromised adults that might have to hold off on surgery due to condition or age.

“We are literally jumping through hoops and hurdles around those who have no clue and make things difficult. But we are almost ready for “T” day.

Crum said the contractor will do his best to remove any inside as long as it does not jeopardize his employees’ health as they must follow OSHA rules.

“All we need is places for them in holding and we’ll start with a mass trapping and go from there,” Crum said.

Borough Manager Dane DeWire said he met with Crum Tuesday afternoon.

DeWire said he has stressed to Crum and any other volunteers that the building, and the property it sits on, are both off limits to anyone.

“Any trapping efforts will be happening from neighboring properties whose owners have already approved of Donna and her volunteers being there,” DeWire said.

He noted that Carbon County “is not able to allocate any funding to the rescue efforts, and likewise, the borough does not have a financial stake in the situation either.”

DeWire said Crum is in need of canned cat food and litter, and will gladly except any volunteer work.

Anyone interested may contact Crum at 610-703-6558.

DeWire previously said the borough is thinking a Feb. 12 start date for mobilization, and a Feb. 19 date for the beginning of mobilization.

“The property will still be owned by the current property owner,” DeWire said. “There will be requirements to lift any liens on the property if it is ever transferred or improved.”

Last month, the Carbon County commissioners awarded the demolition contract for 135-139 N. First St., to low bidder Northeast Industrial Services Corp. of Shamokin. The company bid $186,435 for demolishing and clearing the property.

Crum, who is also one of the founders of Blue Mountain Animal Rescue Society, said there are at least 30 to 50 feral cats in the building, and added, “There could be more.”

DeWire said if there are any rescues or shelters for stray and feral cats, to reach out to the borough in the hopes there can be a combined effort for the animals.

Crum said Dr. Dawn Mriss is helping with the neutering/spaying.

“Monetary donations are greatly appreciated as well, we can’t trade cat food for medical. Dr. Dawn might be free, but with only taking two per surgery day, if say 50 cats could take two months and we don’t have that time.”

Commissioner Wayne Nothstein said last month that if you look at the back of the building from the bypass, “it’s a disaster waiting to happen.”

Nothstein said the windows are missing, there are holes in the floor and the roof is caving in.

Should there be a fire, Nothstein said firefighters would not go inside the structure, but feared for neighboring businesses, which could be lost due to the proximity.

Commissioner Rocky Ahner added that this is a great starting point in addressing blight. Lehighton has saved three years of Community Development Block Grant funds for the project.