Footprints Magazine December 2020 | Page 28

PAWFEET

LOVE –

THE EVENT THAT SAVED LIFE AND LIMB

What does it take to mend broken bones at the SPCA ? A whole lot of support , a daring veterinary team , and some Pawfeet Love of course .
At least one orthopaedic patient is admitted to our SPCA every single day and as a welfare hospital , we didn ’ t always have the tools we needed to save them . When fractures occurred too close to the hock ( wrist ) limbs had to be amputated and in the worst-case scenarios , where more than one limb was fractured or where fractures occurred in areas where our current X-fix remedy ( see Gabriel ’ s story on page 15 ) could not be applied , like the pelvis , spine or jaw animal lives were being lost .
So , on the 22 nd and 23 rd of August this year , animal lovers from all over Cape Town and beyond - including well-known personalities Liezel Van Der Westhuizen , Ewan Strydom and Vanessa and Ryan Sandes participated in our firstever virtual doggie walkathon sponsored by Bravecto - all in aid of helping the SPCA raise funds for a much-needed bone plating kit . The event called Pawfeet Love saw participants and their furry friends take to the streets , the parks , the forests and the beaches to walk in honour of the victims of animal cruelty or neglect whose broken bones prevented them from doing the same . Dr Mark Middleton , the SPCA ’ s own senior vet took the challenge up in a very different way and risked his own life and limb by abseiling down Table Mountain with his veterinary team . All in all , participants raised a staggering R211 492.00 and Christmas came early for our veterinary team when they finally took possession of the SPCA ’ s very own custom manufactured orthopaedic plating kit supplied at a generous discount by Roth Medical . “ We were as excited as a bunch of 3-year-olds on Christmas Eve ,” says Dr Mark Middleton , “ It ’ s incredible to see
South Africans coming together during this time of crisis and to witness how love always wins , no matter what the challenge is . This bone plating kit represents so much to us - it is not only a tool to help us heal animals in need – it will be a permanent reminder of how brightly the spirit of unity shone during a very dark time for all of us . We have been given so much more than simply a tool to heal fractured bones , we encouraged by this outpouring Pawfeet Love and we can ’ t thank everyone who came out in support of this event enough ”.
This plating kit will change so many lives , not only for the animals we treat but also for our veterinary team whose hearts will now be spared the heart-breaking decisions they have had to make in the past . The kit was put to good use , the day following delivery and our first patient is already back home with his loving family .
The amazing participants of our first ever virtual doggie walkathon
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FOOTPRINTS 2020
An X-ray of a fracture prior to surgery
An x-ray of the same fracture repaired using our brand new plating kit
Our veterinary team going over the edge – literally !