HAVERHILL - The city's animal control officer is searching for a woman who was caught on videotape leaving cats and kittens in two closed cardboard boxes with no air holes next to the animal shelter.

Animal Control Officer Michelle Hamel said that yesterday about 5 p.m. she returned to the shelter on Primrose Street and found two cardboard boxes in a shaded area next to the building.

Inside one box was an adult female black-and-gold-striped cat and three kittens that appeared to be 2 to 3 weeks old. In the other box was another adult female cat, also with black and gold stripes, with three kittens that appeared to be 8 to 9 weeks old. The two adult cats are believed to be sisters.

There was no water or food in either box.

"I believe that people do drop off animals to do the right thing," Hamel said. "In this case the woman didn't even knock on the door. I was out at the time but what if I was on vacation? If she cared about them she would have at least called. There's a pack of coyotes that live out here and they could have found these animals."

Hamel said the shelter's security cameras and videotaping system captured moving images of the woman carrying the boxes from her vehicle and leaving them at the shelter.

Hamel said police will try to identify the woman and the city is prepared to press charges of abandonment, which comes under the state's animal cruelty and neglect laws. She said the charge carries a fine of up to $5,000 and up to five years in jail.

"If no one knows you're coming here, you're putting the animal at risk," Hamel said. "I've never said no to kittens. We can get them to Animal Rescue Merrimack Valley. We usually bring cats to the MSPCA in Methuen."

"Everyone knows where the MSPCA is," said Cathleen Ahern, president of the animal rescue group. "Dumping cats and kittens outside on a warm day, in a box without air holes, is cruel and inhumane. The woman should have known better."

Ahern said the cats and kittens will go into foster care until they can be adopted. She said the younger kittens cannot be adopted until they are at least 9 weeks old.

"We'll spay and neuter them and give them their shots," Ahern said.

Animal Rescue Merrimack Valley plans to post images of the animals on its Internet Web site - www.armv.org. Anyone interested in adopting a cat or kitten is asked to call 978-374-7233 or e-mail cahern@armv.org.

The Haverhill Animal Shelter can be reached at 978-374-2415. The shelter is behind the city's Highway Department on Primrose Street.