On March 11, the organization received a report about a possibly injured kitten in the town of Kretinga.
As upsetting as it may be, society’s understanding of how to dispose of unwanted animals that have become a burden no longer surprises us. This case is no exception. Every town has cat feeding stations and people who care about these little balls of fluff, who sometimes share their last bite with the cats living or visiting there, even from their own poverty. Such places have also become popular among those who simply bring and abandon their once-called family members, now turned into unwanted four-legged friends. This fate befell the kitten mentioned in the report.
After clarifying the circumstances with the person who reported it, we headed to the location. On the first day, we didn’t find the kitten at the indicated spot. But we didn’t give up—”He’s injured, he’s in pain,” the thoughts kept spinning in our heads. A day later, a volunteer from Klaipėda went to Kretinga again to search for the poor thing. This time, Tigriukas (as we named him because of his bright tiger-striped coloring) was found.
We rushed to the Pet City clinic in Klaipėda, where the initial diagnosis showed that the poor thing needed an orthopedic examination for a possible leg fracture. We searched for an orthopedist, but there aren’t many in Klaipėda and the waiting lists for specialists are long. While we waited for our turn, Tigriukas was left at the clinic’s inpatient ward under veterinary supervision. After three days, our turn came at Linas Veterinary Clinic for a thorough orthopedic examination, diagnosis, and treatment. The conclusion: a fracture of the hind leg’s tibia, possibly from another animal’s bite (here we’ll interject again about society’s irresponsibility, because a cat living at home in a safe environment can’t even imagine what threats may await him when left at a feeding station, where every stray animal literally fights for survival), internally possibly a bite wound filled with purulent discharge, requiring urgent surgical treatment. The operation was performed the same day.
We’re delighted that during those days a foster carer appeared who agreed to provide temporary foster care for Tigriukas. There is an endless shortage of such foster carers throughout Lithuania. After the operation, the poor thing was taken to her safe haven.
The next day, an examination was scheduled at the veterinary clinic, so a volunteer went to the foster carer’s home and took Tigriukas for the examination, and volunteers will continue taking the cat every two weeks to administer the necessary medications. In 3-4 weeks, a repeat X-ray is scheduled; the doctors will monitor the healing process of the leg.
This is just the beginning of the story of one feral kitten we couldn’t refuse to help, which to this day has cost our volunteers dozens of hours of time, dozens of kilometers driven, and over €600. One of dozens, perhaps even hundreds of stories that foster carers and volunteers rescuing four-legged hearts face every day. These people, due to society’s often irresponsible attitude toward their pet animals, sacrifice their hearts, time, finances, homes, even families. And yet someone’s conscience allows them to say “why all this, it’s easier to euthanize…” No, and again no! We fought, we fight, and if we have even the slightest opportunity provided by your donations, we will continue to fight for the life of every animal that cannot take care of itself, for which each of us should bear responsibility.
