EDITOR – Recently my daughter and I were walking our dogs in Queens Street, Modderfontein.
We noticed a little kitten struggling in the middle of the road and the mother cat was nearby trying to coax it to get up.
My daughter immediately ran to the kitten to see if she could assist and two motorists also stopped, greatly concerned about the kitten.
There is a veterinary clinic, situated around the corner, less than 400 metres away.
Our immediate reaction was to take the kitten to the veterinarian and explain that we had just picked it up in the street.
I waited outside with our excitable dogs.
The veterinarian examined the kitten and advised that it could be suffering from various ailments and could be treated or may have to be euthanised.
The veterinarian then enquired as to who would be liable for any costs incurred.
My daughter responded that she would enquire from me.
As we had just picked up the kitten, and wanted to help, I was reluctant to commit to costs out of my own pocket but still felt it was necessary to let the kitten receive treatment.
We thus took the kitten to an alternative veterinarian hospital who agreed to assist.
The examining veterinarian soon established that there were no obvious broken bones and that he would treat the animal with rehydration and anti-inflammatories.
He further explained that the kitten may have to be euthanised, as there was a possibility it was suffering from ataxia which is a neurological condition, resultant from a mother cat that has cat flu. We accepted this and were relieved that the kitten was being taken care of.
As a result of negative publicity, private ambulance services and hospitals will now treat and stabilise indigent patients if any untoward occurrence takes place nearby to where they operate. Arrangements are thereafter made for the patients to be transferred to government facilities.
I am aware that this practice can be abused, however it is a suitable and acceptable interim measure and huge expenses are not necessarily incurred.
I believe that veterinarians should also adopt this code of good practice.
The animal can then be transferred to an animal shelter, once business hours operate again and further costs can be avoided by the relevant business.
There is a happy ending to the story of this particular kitten, who we have christened Roly Poly.
It had most likely suffered quite severe concussion, and combined with being quite ravenous, it was quite disorientated and unsteady on its legs.
Once the kitten had been rehydrated, fed and rested, it is now making superb progress and will be ready to be re-homed quite soon.
Let’s live up to St Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals, by showing love, care and compassion.
PATTI WEBSTER
MODDERFONTEIN
