Kitten on bridge rescued
Drivers headed east on the James B. Edwards Bridge on Tuesday morning probably showed up to work tardy and ticked off because of a tabby kitten.
Traffic on the bridge over the Wando River that connects Daniel Island and Mount Pleasant halted for about 15 minutes while Mount Pleasant animal control officials rescued a 7-week-old, orange-striped, female feline that was scaling the wall of the bridge to avoid being hit.
The Post and Courier
Pet Helpers staff member Kim Barnes holds a seven-week-old kitten Tuesday that was rescued on the James B. Edwards Bridge over the Wando River.
The cat was likely thrown out of a car, according to the founding owner of Pet Helpers, a rescue and adoption shelter that now has custody of the kitten.
"A cat does not just walk onto a bridge," owner Carol Linville said. "Wando," the recently named survivor, was too small to get there by herself, she said. Nor do cats like loud noises such as the horns and engines of rush-hour traffic, she added.
It is possible, but not likely, that the cat could have fallen out of the back of someone's car, but Pet Helpers has offered a $500 reward for information regarding the conviction of the person who may have tossed it on the bridge. Animal cruelty charges in Charleston County could land the convicted perpetrator with a maximum 30 days in jail and a $1,000 fine, she said. The resilient kitten suffered a scratch under her left eye and a jammed tooth, but she is doing OK.
To help
Anyone interested in adopting Wando or another animal at Pet Helpers should call 795-1110 or visit pethelpers.org for more information.
"She's still kind of freaked out," said Emily Laurie, public relations and event coordinator at Pet Helpers. "But she's super, super sweet."
Wando joins 180 other cats and 44 dogs who need homes at Pet Helpers, a nonprofit, privately-owned shelter. The facility is packed with dogs and cats because adoptions and donations are down, Linville said. She said tens of thousands of stray cats roam Charleston County who need to be vaccinated, spayed or neutered and microchipped.
"This takes you into so many issues of the plight of cats and kittens, who always seem to be the second-class citizens in our pet world," Linville said.
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Comments
Fire_Storm (anonymous) says...
Poor kitty. I hope she and other needy cats and kittens from the shelter find good loving homes as a consequence to this story.
June 17, 2009 at 7:59 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
vmirat90 (anonymous) says...
and Pet Helpers is a fantastic organization. My wife and I volunteer there regularly.
I still cannot fathom these SOB's that have absolutely no respect for life. Who raised these people? They absolutely make me sick.
June 17, 2009 at 8:34 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
majorjohnson (anonymous) says...
If they'd let us eat cats that would take care of the over population.
June 17, 2009 at 8:47 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ltgrunt (anonymous) says...
With a story like this, Wando should get adopted pretty quickly and hopefully go to a home with people who will actually care for and appreciate her.
Major, pet population can be handled much more efficiently and acceptably by following Bob Barker's regular insistence for pet owners to spay and neuter their pets. Forgive the pun, but eating pets is an unpalatable option. I take it you're a fan of Swift's "A Modest Proposal," though.
June 17, 2009 at 9:13 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
happy2behere (anonymous) says...
Anyone who would toss out an animal to be killed by cars is a sick person. There are terrible heartless people in this world.
June 17, 2009 at 9:21 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
vmirat90 (anonymous) says...
good post, lt. I have been trying to spread the word for years about spaying and neutering pets. Pet owners who do not are irresponsible. Every year in the spring, there is such an overload of puppies and kittens at the Chas Animal Society and Pet Helpers, that the adult dogs and cats aren't given a chance for adoption. You know their fate- euthanasia.
June 17, 2009 at 9:38 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Larz13 (anonymous) says...
major--go to some of the Asian and Indian establishments in the the Lowcountry and you may just be eating cat, squirrel or any other roadkill out there (beware of College Park Rd.).
June 17, 2009 at 9:52 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
MP (anonymous) says...
Maj- nothin stopping you- enjoy. Tastes like chicken.
June 17, 2009 at 10:03 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
MP (anonymous) says...
I suspect some sicko was trying to get their jollies by tossing the kitten off the bridge from their vehicle. I vote we find them and toss them off!
June 17, 2009 at 10:05 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
vmirat90 (anonymous) says...
I agree, MP. Their life is not worth the garbage that I put to the curb this morning, in my opinion.
June 17, 2009 at 10:07 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Tammie (anonymous) says...
That's so sad and I agree with MP, toss their arse like a castnet!!
June 17, 2009 at 10:43 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
LadyTarHeel (anonymous) says...
vmira, PetHelpers is a no kill shelter and they allow the animals that aren't adopted to live out their natural lives.
This is very sad. I would go adopt her right now if I could, but I have a very territorial cat at home who doesn't play too well with others.
June 17, 2009 at 10:44 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
vmirat90 (anonymous) says...
oh I know that PH is a no-kill shelter, Lady..I volunteer there. But they also work in tandem with the CAS to take their spillovers- when they have room. If they don't, its when they put the poor creatures down.
June 17, 2009 at 10:48 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
vmirat90 (anonymous) says...
I have gotten to know most of the cats in what I call the "free range" rooms. It makes me very happy to see on the adoption board when one of my four legged buddies find a forever home.
June 17, 2009 at 10:49 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
LadyTarHeel (anonymous) says...
vmira, PetHelpers is a wonderful place. I adopted my cat from there and I must say she's a great addition to my life (even if she is mean). There are some kittens living under the office building of my apartment complex, if I can catch them, I definitely taking them there.
June 17, 2009 at 10:54 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
vmirat90 (anonymous) says...
or if you call animal control, they usually try to find them a home at PH first...they are actually very good at that.
We have 3 cats- all 3 from the Charleston Animal Society- before we became actively involved with PH. I would adopt them all if I could.
June 17, 2009 at 11:09 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Two_Sheds (anonymous) says...
I truly believe that there's an extra-hot place in Hell reserved especially for abusers, whether the victims are women, children, or animals. I'm glad the kitty is OK.
June 17, 2009 at 2:31 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
vmirat90 (anonymous) says...
hear hear, two sheds.
June 17, 2009 at 3:23 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ForPnC (anonymous) says...
I already have four beautiful pets that I've gotten from shelters. I wish I could take in more but I know my limits.
A friend of mine got a dog recently and a bunch of us chipped in to "fix" him right up. He's much happier now and the owner is glad the dog isn't always trying to get out of the yard anymore.
June 17, 2009 at 3:40 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
emlanie (anonymous) says...
Kudos to Animal Control for making the rescue!
June 17, 2009 at 4:23 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
vmirat90 (anonymous) says...
you and your friends sound like real decent people, ForP...you did a great thing by getting the non-perfect animal adopted, but you already know that I am sure.
Kudos again. We got our youngest cat from the shelter- my wife insisted on getting an older cat that had her eye removed from feline herpes- she figured no one would adopt the "non perfect" cat. Man, we hit the jackpot. What a sweetie she is- it seems like she appreciates us everyday for what we did.
June 17, 2009 at 4:26 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
RTC (anonymous) says...
Why do so many people hate cats? I truly believe that they have never giving a cat a chance. Cats have to be approached differently than dogs, but they will provide just as much love.
Of my 3 pets, two are adoptees. My cat is strictly a housecat, and he is so low maintenance. No worries about injuries from catfights, dogs or getting run over. The best thing of all is no neighbors can complain, as he is never on anyone else's property.
Come on all you cathaters, give the poor things a chance. They have so much love to give.
June 17, 2009 at 4:36 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
vmirat90 (anonymous) says...
RTC- it's so funny that you mention that. I grew up as a dog guy, even had a dog when I was married the first time, and when divorced. We had a cat growing up that was quite aloof- so I assumed that is how cats were. They all have different personalities though- like dogs and people. 2 of my 3 at home are big babies and want to be around you all of the time. One will cry if you don't pick him up.
It's exactly like DeNiro said in Meet the Parents- you have to earn their affection.
June 17, 2009 at 4:56 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
RTC (anonymous) says...
vmi, you are so right. My husband "claimed" to hate cats. When I talked him into letting me adopt one, he slowly bonded with our cat. When he was recovering from a very serious operation that kitty never left his side. Now all I hear is "Where is my cat?" LOL
June 17, 2009 at 5:08 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ForPnC (anonymous) says...
RTC -
They say dogs love unconditionally. You can treat them like crap and they come right back to you wagging their tails. I don't know if that's true because I don't mistreat my dogs.
Cats are different. They look you over (with one eyebrow raised) to see if you would make a good slave or not. The two I own must think I'm a damned great slave! LOL! Mine are indoor cats as well.
vmirat -
Yep, non-perfect animals are the best. I wouldn't trade them for anything!
June 17, 2009 at 5:12 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
vmirat90 (anonymous) says...
I was the same way after I moved in with my now wife. I slowly bonded with her cat- then I was hooked. She bonded with me and completely ignored my wife. I would always tell her that I was having an illicit affair with Boogle (that was her name). LOL
June 17, 2009 at 5:14 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
RTC (anonymous) says...
After reading so many nasty comments on the blogs it is quite obvious that animals bring out the best in us all.
That ought to tell people something right there.
I love to read people's animal stories, because they are always funny and nice stories to share.
June 17, 2009 at 5:35 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
cbray6177 (anonymous) says...
I have always been a dog person myself until Jan 08. Animal Control where I work found 3 kittens that were 3 days old. When she took them to the shelter they were going to euthanize them, so I told her to bring them to me. I have had them ever since. One of them passed at 2 weeks old, but I kept the other 2. They are now a year and half old and SPOILED ROTTEN. Right along with my 3 Chihuahua's. I
If I could I would adopt every last stray possible. I love them all...poor babies. I am glad for this happy beginning for "WANDO". I'm sure he/she will find a great home.
June 17, 2009 at 11:26 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
vmirat90 (anonymous) says...
good for you cbray. I absolutely adore my cats as well. If anyone did any harm to any of them, there would be hell to pay from me.
June 18, 2009 at 8:46 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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