Earlier this week, staff at Branford's Cosgrove Animal Shelter took in what they described as "one of the worst cases" of apparent animal cruelty, a dog dying of starvation and found on a Branford roadside Monday, March 6.

Since that time, help has poured in from the community and beyond for the emaciated dog shelter has named "Hope." As she continues a long road to recovery, a reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for Hope's horrible ordeal has continued to grow, reaching over $9,000 at press time.

On Monday, March 6, shelter staff reported a woman put the dog into her car and drove it to the shelter, after seeing the dog fall as it attempted to walk along Route 1 in Branford (near Big Y) at approximately 11 a.m. Initial veterinary attention determined the animal had been starved for between two to three months. Death was eminent within 24 to 48 hours.

The shelter quickly took to its Facebook page to alert the public and seek help.

"This dog cannot stand, walk, or lift her head," the first post reported on March 6. "She is being provided with 24-hour care at this point. The vet gives her a body condition score of 1 on a body scale of 0-9. Her body temperature is at 96 degrees. We have named her Hope and we are doing everything humanly possible to save her life and provide her with the love she has not received for a long, long time."

The shelter posted photos of the emaciated dog with a discretionary viewing warning. Since then, new photos, videos and updates of Hope's progress have been posted daily. The shelter is also sharing news of fundraisers and other events being organized by businesses, groups and individuals here

In addition to Hope's skeletal appearance, pressure sores on her body and paws indicate she may have been kept in a crate on a hard surface or other small confined space.

On March 11, the shelter reported Hope was eating and drinking and continuing to gain weight, and that a protocol of providing 24-hour care would continue for "quite some time."

"We want to once again thank everyone who has been supporting the shelter and Hope through all of this. As Hope continues to gain strength, our focus will be on finding whoever is responsible for doing this," the staff posted.

Members of the public who may recognize the dog, or noticed a black dog near Big Y in Branford recently, are asked contact the animal shelter confidentially at 203-315-4125. Between 5 to 8 years old, Hope is believed to be a Pit Bull/Labrador mix.

The shelter accepts donation via PayPal at branfordanimalshelter.org or by mail (please note Hope in memo) at 749 East Main St. Branford, CT 06405.