A Branford man is in jail, accused of leaving four kittens in a dumpster back in August. The town’s animal shelter says only one of the kittens survived.
“She’s absolutely spunky and bouncing around and she kind of looks like a baby raccoon with her little fur all spiky in the back and stands up,” Laura Burban, director of the Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter in Branford, said.
Moving with swift curiosity, nine-week-old Sabrina is embracing her space at the animal shelter. She is the only surviving kitten out of four, found in a dumpster back in August outside a condo complex off of Brushy Plains Road.
“They were soaking wet. They were freezing and shaking and struggling to breathe,” Burban said.
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She says the dumpster had standing water, deplorable conditions for the kittens. Only two made it to the shelter with just Sabrina staying alive.
“One of the kittens did live a little longer. It lived for a few weeks, so we were surprised when that one passed away,” she said.
Town animal control says a Branford man was arrested on two animal cruelty charges Tuesday. The mother cat, Zoe, was found living inside his home and was taken to the shelter to be reunited with Sabrina.
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Burban credits tips and a forthcoming public in securing an arrest.
“We’re grateful that the community stepped up and was actually willing to speak to us about the information that they had,” she said.
She says Zoe and Sabrina remain quarantined as a precaution and aren’t available to adopt yet, but in safe hands at the shelter.
“You really do feel a sense of relief. Obviously, these animals can’t protect themselves and they rely on us to do our jobs,” Burban said.
Hunter is being held on $25,000 bond and is set to be in court Wednesday morning.
