2 days Ago By Jeff Bell
Five kittens rescued in the aftermath of a wildfire in Port Alberni last week are recovering from burns at the Alberni-Clayoquot branch of the SPCA. The fire, believed to be human-caused, broke out June 20 in the Rogers Creek gully about 245 metres behind the SPCA building. The kittens were found by Port Alberni Fire Department crews checking the scene of the fire, which reached 0.
75 hectare in size but did not threaten the building. “The response from fire crews in Port Alberni was outstanding,” said branch manager Sam Sattar. “They did sweeps of the area over two days, finding one kitten and then two more shortly afterward on the first day, and then two more on a sweep the following day.
“Because the fire happened so close to the animal centre, we were able to rush [the kittens] to an emergency veterinary hospital and get them treatment quickly.” He said the kittens might have been connected to a homeless camp that was in the area, “but no one has come forward.” One of the felines escaped with just a bit of singed fur and will be ready for adoption shortly, while the others have burns on their paws, tails, ears and noses.
Among them is a kitten that also has burns on its face, mouth, eyelids and abdomen. “We have the kittens recovering at the home of one of our staff members so they can receive the specialized care they need to recover,” Sattar said. “They are all set up with special litter that won’t stick to their paws or cause them discomfort when t.
