Earlier today, Wake Forest student Olivia Smith found a three week old kitten in S parking lot by the biology building, where he had been run over and left to die in the middle of the road. She promptly drove him to Reynolda Veterinary Hospital, where the veterinarian confirmed the kitten, which Smith described as being “the size of [her] hand,” had suffered broken legs and a spinal cord injury. The kitten was able to receive free treatment through a Good Samaritan charity. However, as a result of the kitten’s young age combined with his serious injuries, the veterinarian told Smith the kitten would not make it.
*Above: A photo Smith took of the injured kitten in her car before taking him to Reynolda Veterinary Hospital
“Unfortunately, this [type of problem] has happened a few times this past year, although this is the only [incident] that ended really badly,” Smith told Her Campus. Earlier this winter, Smith reported finding another kitten that had crawled up into a car engine for warmth. She waited for the owner to return so the kitten could be safely removed.
*Photo from i.telegraph.co.uk
Smith posted the following to her Facebook page earlier today as a way to raise awareness about feral cats living on campus:
“My point…is to remind everyone that we are not the only ones who call Wake Forest our home. Although I know everyone is stressed with exams, it does not take much out of your day to check your surroundings when driving. Kittens also tend to take shelter under parked cars and by wheels. Please please please take the few extra seconds to make sure one is not under your car. What happened today was heartbreaking, but I hope we can all take away a lesson from this kitten, and remember to be mindful of our actions, as tragic incidents like this are easily avoidable.”
*Photo from pet-health-care-gazette.com
Smith is right. In the midst of finals, it is easy to forget that the Wake Forest campus is home to more than just us, collegiettes. Today, we lost a member of the Wake Forest community. No, it wasn’t a student or faculty member, and while that is a huge relief, the loss is still a sad one. What’s worse is that this type of accident is completely avoidable, if only we, as people, would make the small effort to be more aware and careful of our surroundings.