FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO): Fort Wayne residents giving up their animals won’t be able to use the after-hour option anymore.

Fort Wayne Animal Care and Control is going to close their after-hour boxes on February 26th, according to a City press release. According to the guidelines for standards of care in animal shelters, the use of unattended drop boxes where live animals are placed after-hours can result in animal suffering or death.

Locally, almost 25% of the Fort Wayne shelter’s intakes come through the boxes, and many of the animals left in there are either neglected, sick or injured. Many of them also come with zero information about the pet.

The shelter is now partnering with the Allen County SPCA and HOPE for Animals to refer pet owners to multiple resources to hopefully keep their pets.