Wednesday, January 21, 2009

SAPS officers save a kitten's life

Lisa Cant-Haylett, IFAW - Mdzananda is in full swing again after a fairly quiet period over the festive season. Not long after arriving at the clinic last Friday, a SAPS police van pulled up to the clinic gates and two Constables stepped out and walked towards the consulting container. I almost didn't see the small ball of fluff being cradled in the one officer's hands.

The little ball of fluff turned out to be a little male kitty who had a 2nd degree burn wound to the one side of his body, which had become encrusted with dead skin and dirt. It is likely that boiling water had been thrown over him. According to the police officers, they had found 'Kitty' outside of Lingelethu West's police station, notably lost and exhausted.

The Constables rushed the kitten to the clinic and Kitty was treated by Mdzananda's Lazola Sotyingwa and volunteer veterinarian George Lightfoot upon arrival. His wound was cleaned, antibiotic ointment administered and he spent the rest of the day recuperating in the clinic's hospital.

Kitty has been adopted by Mdzananda's vet, Dr Rozelle Theron.

Rescuing a kitten falls way out of the job description of SAPS officers who are faced with the difficult task of fighting the scourge of crime every day. Rescuing Kitty went far beyond the call of duty and we thank them for their compassion.