It’s been greater than two weeks since 22 cats had been left outdoors of a Connecticut animal management facility and Halfway Home Rescue remains to be searching for solutions because it cares for the animals.
The cats had been left outdoors on Jan. 19 in Waterbury and shortly after Woodbridge-based Halfway Home Rescue founder Stephanie Maselli and her volunteers jumped to motion.
“In the wee hours of the 19th about two dozen kitties were dumped outside of the gate of the building,” Masselli stated. “It was 11 degrees out in the middle of a very cold spell.”
It’s estimated the cats had been left between 5 and 6 a.m. and Maselli and Halfway Home Rescue had been on web site of 200 Municipal Road, Waterbury, by about 8 a.m. They needed to transfer dozens of cats in its facility to totally different fosters so the 22 cats could possibly be quarantined earlier than they had been totally examined by a vet from Naugatuck’s Beacon Valley Animal Hospital.
“Their bodies were covered in urine and poop,” Masselli stated, in regards to the animals. “There was clothing inside of the cages that was soiled. They were all adult cats and were 4 to 7 pounds. They are all long hair but when you touch them, they were all bones.”
Masselli stated all of the cats’ fur was matted and all had been caked with fleas.
Two weeks later, all of the cats have survived so far. Two wanted particular care. A vet got here to the Woodbridge web site to evaluate the cats firsthand.
“We are a small non-profit organization, but we step up when we can,” Maselli stated. “We have helped Waterbury Animal Control in the past.”
All the cats must be spayed and neutered and it will likely be not less than eight extra weeks till they’re prepared for adoption.
Costs are including up. Each cat has had its rabies vaccine.
“Getting a healthy cat ready for adoption is $300,” Maselli stated. “These are not well. It’s going to cost us upwards of $10,000 total. Just one trip to the emergency room with one cat will cost $1,000 for an ultrasound and bloodwork.”
“We are giving supportive care,” she added. “The main focus is to make sure everyone is drinking water, eating, pooping and no one is getting sick. They were clearly living in those cages. That amount of feces was not something from one day.”
As the cats are being nursed again to well being, Maselli and her organization are searching for solutions.
“We know who owned and dumped the cats and I’m hoping (Waterbury police) will bring some kind of accountability,” Maselli stated. “Why are the cats being treated like they are disposable. Why isn’t anyone being held accountable?”
Waterbury Police Department spokesperson Lt. Ryan Bessette stated the incident remains to be beneath investigation.
“An individual was helping someone move on the east end and came across the cats,” Bessette stated. “He tried to call several rescue places but was unsuccessful. The cats were placed outside of Animal Control shortly before opening to make sure the cats end up in the right hands.”
“Detectives made contact with the individual and called the rescue facilities that confirmed the calls were made,” he added. “We know the identification of the proprietor of the cats. We haven’t spoken to the earlier proprietor but. But no costs had been introduced in opposition to the individual who introduced the cats to the ability.“
Bessette stated the case has made a whole lot of progress and they’re nonetheless trying to comply with up with the proprietor of the cats.
“It’s still active investigation,” Bessette stated.
Anyone with info is requested to name the police at 203-574-6941.
There are methods for the general public to proceed to assist the cats on the mend. Maselli stated the organization is grateful for the general public for the outpouring of assist, however extra remains to be wanted.
“We are getting a lot of donations that help us continue our work,” Maselli stated. “This has been a huge financial burden.”
Maselli added that different animal rescues have stepped up and supported Halfway Home. Maselli stated it will likely be not less than eight weeks earlier than the cats are prepared for adoption.
“It’s a lot. All of the cats are scared,” Maselli stated. “They aren’t feral. They were taken out of their homes and left in the snow. Complete strangers plucked them out of their cages and into a rescue environment. They are separated from each other. But now they are eating, using the litter box and getting medical treatment.”
Ways to contributes embrace: Venmo @HalfwayHomeRescueInc; PayPal [email protected] and mailing handle: PO Box 712, North Haven, 06473.
There are additionally drop off places at Petsmart on the Orange and North Haven places in addition to the Mew Haven Cat Café in New Haven.
There can also be a Halfway Home Rescue want listing on Amazon and Chewy for the organization.
The homeowners of ReBar Bar & Pizza are holding a fundraiser for the trigger on Sunday, March 3. At the restaurant from 4 p.m. to shut ReBar is donating 50 % of its gross sales to HHR. There can even be raffles on the occasion.
Maselli began Halfway Home Rescue in 2004 and has seen a number of instances of rescues of 13 cats or extra in want. She grew up in North Haven and lives in Woodbridge. Halfway Home Rescue might be celebrating its twentieth anniversary in March.
