Attack of the peacocks and a cat covered in paint

April 28, 2022

Attack of the peacocks

Workers at a northern suburb business felt like they had stepped into an Alfred Hitchcock movie after a trio of stray peacocks unleashed havoc throughout the company’s car park. The three birds left a path of destruction after denting, scratching and defecating on the roofs and bonnets of cars, causing thousands of dollars worth of damage.

A distress call was made to Team Rescue and a volunteer task force sprung into action. Rescue Team Leader Nalika said it was a much harder operation than expected. “The staff couldn’t catch them, the local council officers couldn’t catch them either and we initially struggled to outsmart these agents of chaos,” laughed Nalika.

“It’s impossible to grab them with your hands, they can fly vertically up at lightning speed. They are extremely intelligent and can sense when someone is trying to catch them and become very elusive. Going in hot wasn’t working, so we decided to start a feeding program. We needed to build their trust in order to get closer to them.

“We set up some netting in an area where the peacocks frequent and were able to snag one. The other two are now suspicious of our uniform so we will have to think outside the box. The major obstacle is how often we can be onsite. Patience is key for capturing them safely. A local vollie has offered to visit… hopefully, she is able to catch the last two on the lamb!”

A staff member has already organised a new home for the birds, who will enjoy a life running through gardens and trees instead of on the roofs of cars. Team Rescue is still trying to catch the last two peacocks.

Tiny kitten found dumped in McDonald’s takeaway food bag

At only 3-weeks-old, this tiny kitten was found nestled into a scarf inside a McDonald’s paper bag on a footbridge in Parafield Gardens.  On the first of April,  a concerned pedestrian called RSPCA after stumbling across the mysterious package during a walk.

The woman happened to hear a faint meow as she walked past what she thought was just discarded rubbish. Rescue Team Leader Nalika collected the kitten on her drive home from work and spent the night feeding the tiny infant and keeping her warm.

“We suspect the kitten had been deliberately placed on the side of the road so she could be found,” Nalika said.

“It was in an area with quite a lot of foot traffic and there was a scarf placed in the bottom to keep her warm. Whoever placed her there was perhaps trying to do the right thing, but I would strongly encourage people to contact a local rescue service if they find a stray kitten.” (Abandoning an animal is an offence under SA’s Animal Welfare Act.)

“An animal of this age is extremely vulnerable to the cold and requires constant feeding. If she wasn’t found she could have easily died. She was just so hungry and was screaming her little lungs out.”

The kitten is now being looked after by a member of RSPCA’s foster care team until she is old enough to be desexed and made available for adoption.

 

 

Racing to save this Mitsubishi kitty

Vehicle safety ratings don’t count for much when you are wedged between a car’s splash tray and its undercarriage. Rescue Officer Heidi was called to a Salisbury residence after a beagle had sniffed out something suspicious beneath the family’s Mitsubishi sedan.

“Their trusty beagle had put his nose to the test after the family heard the meows of a little kitten but couldn’t quite pinpoint where it was coming from. He was able to trace her scent to the bottom of the car. No-one could reach the poor little thing as there was a splash tray in the way, so the RAA was called in to help prop up the car,” said Heidi.

“We were able to jack the car and remove the splash tray, quite promptly. Cars are a popular place for cats and kittens to take refuge in, especially as the weather cools and they are attracted to the warmth of engines. It’s an important reminder to be vigilant if you have stray cats living close to your home, you never know where or when one might pop up.”

Kitten covered in paint

Team rescue was alerted to a six-month-old cat  (now named Wattyl) who was covered in acrylic paint from head to toe.  Wattyl was found in a front yard not too far away from a paint tin. It is unknown if this was a malicious act or an accident.

Volunteer ambulance driver Richard was quick to respond, hastily transporting the paint covered cat to a local vet before he was transferred into the care of RSPCA’s vet team at Lonsdale.

The poor cat needed to be sedated while the team carefully removed the thick layers of paint.

The paint on Wattyl’s belly had to be slowly peeled off and sections of his fur needed to be clipped.  Turns out Wattyl is part-Bengal, a breed known to be playful, fun-loving and very affectionate. Poor Wattyl has recovered from his ordeal and is now available for adoption. Despite looking a little patchy, Wattyl’s fur is expected to fully grow back and, judging by his lovely nature, he appears very grateful to be paint-free!

 


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