A $2,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of whomever is responsible for abandoning several cats in Newport.
The Potter League for Animals in Middletown said a concerned citizen found and brought five cats to the shelter after they were apparently left overnight on the docks at Newport Shipyard and Marina on Washington Street.
The cats, which were stored in lobster crates, were discovered on Dec. 22 around 10:30 p.m.
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"The cats had no access to food or water for an undetermined amount of time," The Potter League noted in a press release, adding that one cat ran away when the good Samaritan was assessing the situation and remains unaccounted for.
"Deliberately leaving these cats in harsh climate, without access to food or water is not only cruel, it is a crime," The Potter League also said.
The Potter League said the cats were covered in flea dirt and scabs. Some of the animals were underweight and had extreme hair loss.
Now, the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty, along with Newport Animal Control and the Newport Police Department, have launched an investigation. The Potter League is offering the reward.
Contact the RISPCA at 401-438-8150, extension 6, or via email at cruelty@rispca.com, if you have information about the case.
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