The young, gray male cat was found on the 27th of April, in the neighbourhood of the Peachtree Apartments fire after he had been struck by a car and seriously injured. With a badly broken left rear femur, the cat was taken by Norwich Animal Control officers to All Friends Animal Hospital on New London Turnpike. Officials thought the cat might have belonged to one of the more than 150 Peachtree tenants displaced by the 26th of April fire, but no one has come forward to claim him. Veterinary hospital staff nicknamed him Stewart. Doctors waited several days for the swelling to go down before operating on Friday to insert a metal pin in Stewart's leg. Hospital administrator Lona Baker reported Tuesday that Stewart is recovering rapidly from surgery and even has started putting weight on the injured leg. If all goes well, doctors will remove the metal pin in about five weeks, and Stewart would be ready for adoption. Baker said the person who found the injured cat is interested in taking him home permanently. Baker said All Friends decided to foot the bill for Stewart's surgery, which could have cost $800 to $1,000. His case is an extreme example of the need for an emergency fund to pay for medical care for stray and lost pets found by local animal control officers. All Friends Animal Hospital will hold a pet health fair on the 17th of May, to raise money for such a fund for the Norwich, Montville and Ledyard animal control departments. The hospital routinely works with the three towns on stray pets, and sometimes the medical care needed exceeds the towns' available funding. "Stewart is like the poster child for it," Baker said "We are making him a poster child. We're going to hang his before and after X-rays up. Even people who don't have a medical background will understand those pictures." The 17th of May fair will run from 11am to 4pm, with a rabies vaccination clinic from 1 to 3pm. The rabies vaccine would be good for three years if owners bring proof of a previous vaccine. Pfizer, Inc. has donated the vaccines, allowing the entire $12 vaccination fee to be donated to the emergency pet care fund. Local businesses have donated raffle items, and there will be a "dunk the doctor" dunking booth, weather permitting. Demonstrations by the Norwich police K-9 Unit and Guiding Eyes for the Blind are planned. Educational booths will be set up on various aspects of pet health care. Channel 3 weatherman Scott Haney will be a special guest. Children's activities will include face painting and clown performances. Admission to the fair is free. |
