Best Friends Animal Society offers sanctuary to Lewis the Cat
June 14, 2006: 4:14 PM
Kanab, UT (06/14/2006) -- Lewis the cat, whose life is on the line for allegedly attacking people, has a standing invitation to come to live at the nation's largest companion animal sanctuary.
"To save Lewis's life, we have made a formal offer to the judge to provide the cat with a place to live out his life at this sanctuary," said Russ Mead, general counsel for Best Friends Animal Society. "Our animal care staff is expert in caring for animals with behavioral issues."
The trial of Lewis's person, Ruth Cisero of Fairfield, Conn., is scheduled for June 20 in Connecticut Superior Court in Bridgeport. She is charged with second-degree reckless endangerment. She chose a trial rather than probation because that would have included that condition that Lewis be killed.
Lewis is described a five year-old polydactyl (extra toes), domestic longhaired cat. Some of Fairfield's Sunset Circle residents have accused the cat of attacking them and their visitors. Animal Control Officer Rachel Solveira placed a restraining order on Lewis. It was the first time such an action was taken against a cat in Fairfield. Lewis was ordered to be placed under house arrest, and Cisero tried medicating him with Prozac - apparently to no effect.
Best Friends Animal Society, located at the heart of the national parks of southern, Utah has provided a home to several other cats and dogs who would otherwise have been sentenced to death in the courts. Nadas, a collie mix who chased a horse in Oregon, was held at a county shelter for 18 months under sentence of death until his story appeared on the TV show Hardcopy and the authorities released him into the care of Best Friends. And feline convict Oscar of Arabia was flown halfway around the world to Best Friends after being sentenced to death for escaping from an upstairs room and launching an attack at a diplomatic reception.
"We're not commenting on the case itself," said Mead. "Our concern is simply with saving the life of Lewis. Obviously Best Friends can't take in every dog or cat who gets into trouble. But for Lewis to lose his life after being seen all over the news would be very sad indeed - a lose-lose for everyone. We simply don't want the cat destroyed. Ours is a serious proposal to the court, and we will be happy to make all the necessary arrangements to bring the case and its surrounding publicity to an end as quickly and quietly as possible."
Photo by Connecticut Post, John Galayda.
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Best Friends Animal Society works with shelters and rescue groups nationwide to bring about a time when there will be no more homeless pets. Best Friends operates the country's largest sanctuary for homeless animals, and provides adoption, spay/neuter, and educational programs nationwide.
"Kindness to animals builds a better world for all of us."
