News

Jul 05, 2023

ARL looking for man who dumped cat in cardboard box on Boston street outside Fisher College

The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox. The Animal

The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox.

The Animal Rescue League of Boston is hoping someone will recognize a man seen on surveillance video dumping a cat in a box along a busy city street.

The ARL said the man dumped the cat in a cardboard box in a street parking spot on Beacon Street in front of Fisher College on April 3.

"No care and compassion for the animal whatsoever. He took the box and tossed it," said Lt. Frank Pomodoro, assistant director of Public Safety at Fisher College. "If someone backed over it, we wouldn't be having this talk."

The black and white tuxedo cat, since named "Fish" as a nod to Fisher College, was trapped in the darkness of the discarded box for about 14 hours without food, water or a place to go to the bathroom.

Fish, the cat, was abandoned outside of @FisherCollege @ARLBostonRescue & police need your help finding the man who dumped this cat on the curb.#BeaconStreet pic.twitter.com/X4JHjrswZ9

"I personally brought Fish in. Fish is a great cat, very sweet," said ARL Officer Paul Luongo. "He has his vaccines and went through a vet exam. Nothing was found concerning with him, no physical sign of abuse, but we are highlighting the abandonment."

"He hid behind the captain's desk," Pomodoro said. "He has beautiful, huge black eyes. Sweet, beautiful big black eyes."

The man is described as white, about 60 years old, and was wearing orange gloves, a dark jacket and a baseball hat. He was driving an older model tan, gold or silver Subaru Legacy wagon.

"This still is an ongoing investigation. If anyone knows the man who did this or anyone who knows him, reach out to the ARL Law Enforcement Department or to Fisher College police," Luongo said.

College President Steven Rich said the act was very callous and is thankful for the compassion of the school's staff.

"It's by the main door of the student entrance. Plenty walked by, but it was just a box on the street until someone looked in it," he said.

The man is facing charges of animal abuse and neglect, which is punishable by up to seven years in jail and a $5,000 fine.

Watch: Man dumps box with cat inside on Beacon Street

Video: ARL pleads to surrender in person after spate of pet abandonments