Animal lovers raise cash for kitty with broken bones on #GivingTuesday
27 November 2018
Donations are flooding in for a Willenhall cat who needed urgent veterinary care at Wolverhamption's PDSA Pet Hospital after sustaining horrific injuries in a suspected road accident.
Vet charity PDSA set up a Facebook fundraiser for the adorable kitten, as treatment to mend his broken bones will run into hundreds of pounds. The charity doesn't receive any government funding, and relies on the generosity of animal lovers to help fund its vital veterinary services in Wolverhampton and other towns and cities across the UK.
Any animal lovers wishing to donate towards Ralph's treatments - who is pictured cuddling his teddy, called Freddie - can do so here:
Facebook - pdsa.org.uk/facebook-ralph
JustGiving - https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/ralph
PDSA Head Nurse Kay Brough said: "We do everything we can to save the lives of much-loved pets like Ralph, but it’s only because of public donations that we can continue our vital work in communities like Wolverhampton. By sharing Ralph’s story, we hope to raise funds for him and all of PDSA’s 48 Pet Hospitals across the UK, which care for thousands of pets every single day. A big thank you to everyone who has donated so far!”
Ralph’s Story
Lovable kitten Ralph was nowhere to be seen one morning. His elderly owner was frantic with worry, and when his stepdaughter Rachel Arnold (40) eventually found Ralph the following day, they were devastated to find him dragging his leg in agony.
Ralph's family immediately turned to the Pet Hospital on Tuxford Close, off Hilton Street, for help. Rachel was told to bring him straight in, and the tiny kitten was given pain relief and was rushed into x-ray. All of their worst fears came true; the shin bones in his back leg were broken clean in two due to a suspected road traffic accident. The vets were faced with two choices: amputating the young cat's leg or battling to save it.
In a highly intricate operation, the skilled PDSA vet team set to work putting the leg together using pins and plates. After hours of surgery, they had done all they could for the much-loved family pet. Now only time would tell if he'd ever walk on all four paws again.
Ralph would need strict cage rest for any recovery to happen a difficult task for a young cat with lots of energy. His owner has had to spoon-feed Ralph to ensure he keeps up his strength, along with lots of love and attention. At first the plucky kitten needed frequent checks, returning to the Pet Hospital twice a week to ensure infection was kept at bay and that his wounds were healing well.
Since then, Ralph has been having weekly appointments at PDSA to monitor his healing. So far, our vets are delighted with his progress and he's even had his stitches out. Our dedicated vets and nurses will make sure Ralph is kept as comfortable as possible while he heals. He has just three more weeks of cage rest to go. His treatment so far has cost the charity around £650.
Commenting on the ordeal, Rachel said: “Ralph is making a brilliant recovery and we are delighted with his progress. It’s been a very traumatic time for him and he’s still under strict cage rest until he is fully recovered - being so young and full of energy, he’s itching to get out and play.
“We can’t thank PDSA enough for his treatment and ongoing care. We’re hoping he’ll be fighting fit and back on all fours in time for Christmas! I’m so pleased that through the fundraising campaign we can give back to PDSA for saving Ralph and giving us our very own Christmas miracle!”
Ralph's life-saving treatment is only possible thanks to kind donations, as PDSA is a charity that doesn't receive any government funding. This vital lifeline is there to provide expert treatment and loving care when it’s needed most, carrying out life-saving miracles every single day. Ralph is just one of 50,000 precious pets in need that will come through PDSA’s Pet Hospital doors this December alone.
