Reward Offered After Cat Left For Dead On Meriden-Wallingford Town Line

MERIDEN, CT — The nonprofit organization Desmond's Army Animal Law Advocates is offering a $5,500 reward for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of those responsible for abandoning a cat in Meriden that later died.

The dilute calico female cat, named “Lilly” by her caretakers, was found Saturday on Evansville Avenue next to the solar panel fields on the Meriden – Wallingford town line, according to a post on Desmond's Army Animal Law Advocates’ Facebook page.

“Sadly in spite of all attempts to save her, ‘Lizzy’ succumbed to her severely neglected condition,” the post reads.

The Meriden Animal Control said that around 11 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 15, a “kind couple was driving on Evansville Ave in Meriden, when they spotted something grey and out of place in a pile of snow,” according to a post on the Meriden Animal Control-Saving Paws Facebook page. “They turned around and discovered a carrier with this cat inside. They did the right thing by taking the cat in to their vehicle and calling our office immediately to help.”

Officials said that when the city’s animal control officer arrived and “looked over this sweet cat, she could immediately tell this cat was suffering and desperately needed care.”

“She was immediately transported to our vet office where she received fluids, heat treatment, and antibiotics,” officials wrote in the post on Facebook. “Unfortunately, this poor soul did not make it overnight. She was given the name Lizzy before passing away. 😇💔

“We know the word dumped gets used far too often in animal welfare posts, but this poor girl truly was DUMPED AND LEFT FOR DEAD! Not only was she left in freezing conditions causing her to become hypothermic, but she was clearly neglected for an extended period of time. Besides the hypothermia, Lizzy was fully matted head to toe, completely emaciated, dehydrated, and she had nails growing in to her paw pads causing bleeding and infection. This poor girl had been suffering long before she was left like a piece of trash on the side of the road. We were told the backside of the carrier was left open, but Lizzy was so weak that she could not get out on her own.”

Officials also noted that Lizzy was found just a few hours before the snow/ice storm on Saturday.

The animal control is looking for any information on where Lizzy came from.

“She was located on Evansville Ave past the Markham airport towards Wallingford on the north side of the road next to the large field of solar panels,” officials wrote. “Our best guess is she was owned by either a resident of Wallingford or Meriden. Lizzy was a beautiful domestic long hair cat, dilute calico in color, and she appeared to be at least middle aged. She was not wearing a collar and did not have a microchip.”

Anyone with any information is asked to call the Meriden Animal Control at 203-235-4179 and refer to information regarding “Lizzy.”

Desmond's Army Animal Law Advocates noted that the reward offer automatically rescinds in 90 days from Feb. 19.

For more information, visit Meriden Animal Control-Saving Paws on Facebook here.