Dr Shabeer treats unusual patient

An unusual patient recently paid a visit to the Terrace Road Veterinary Hospital and was treated by Dr Shabeer Bhoola in Edenvale.

A 10-month-old serval was brought to the hospital on October 15 by members of the South African Wildlife Rehabilitation Center.

It was found by community members in Etwatwa in an outside building.

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Shabeer said the serval was behaving in a strange manner when he first saw it.

“Servals are usually quite aggressive animals, if they are in a cage they will hiss at you but this one was very docile.”

Because of the cat’s behaviour, Shabeer speculated that it was somebody’s pet which had escaped and been cornered in the building.

“If the serval is an escaped pet a large number of resources will be needed to rehabilitate it and ensure that it can survive in the wild.”

While at the hospital the serval was sedated and assessed by Shabeer.

“The animal was not injured and only needed to be treated for constipation and dehydration,” said Shabeer.

It was kept at the hospital and monitored until October 16 when it was collected by members of the South African Wildlife Rehabilitation Center.

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Shabeer said South African Wildlife Rehabilitation Center will monitor the animal before deciding if it can be released into the wild.

“The serval will be put into an enclosure with no human contact to determine if it will be able to survive.”

Shabeer said over the years he has treated a number of servals, in addition to duikers, mongooses, caracals and a variety of wild birds.

Most of the servals he has treated were injured by cars.

“In recent years I have started treating wild animals more often,” said Shabeer.

“I don’t know if this is because people are stopping more to assist these animals or if the animals are being forced into human areas by development,” said Shabeer.

Shabeer said although community members are allowed to own servals if they have the necessary permit the cats are a severely protected species.

“There is no reason for a community member to own a serval or wild animal, it promotes the wrong ideas,” said Shabeer.

“There is a big difference between the needs of domesticated animals and wild animals.”

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He said owners of wild animals cannot replicate every aspect of the creatures natural habitat.

In addition to creating awareness about South Africa’s protected species, Shabeer encouraged community members to be aware of baby birds which may have fallen out of their nests.

He said community members often find the wild birds and decide to care for them themselves.

When the birds are brought to Shabeer they are in a critical condition.

Shabeer said community members should rather take the birds to a vet or to a hospital where the can be treated properly.

Contact Terrace Road Veterinary Hospital on 011 609 0477.