Ponnachen gets a ‘wheelchair’

Idukki: A veterinary doctor has made a custom ‘wheelchair’ for a cat in the hope that it will help the feline move around after both its legs were paralysed in an attack by a dog. ‘Ponnachen’ came under the dog’s attack about two weeks ago. Mauled by the dog, it suffered serious injuries to its spine. Its owner, Sainaba, a housewife, who is a resident of Pathiram Kandam in Idukki, took the hapless creature to the Murikkasery Veterinary Hospital.
Dr Romeo Sunny who examined the cat found that its legs were paralysed and that it could only drag them on the floor. "To ensure that it can at least move about, I decided to make a ‘wheelchair’ for it. The ‘wheel-chair’ was made using locally-available materials like PVC pipes and rubber slippers. If we had decided to purchase one, it could have costed at least Rs 5,000," said Dr Sunny. "It will recover from the injuries but it will take some time. I hope it can freely move within one or two months. If it sits in a place all the time, it cannot be a happy cat," he added.
"The commitment shown by the pet owner moved me. That is why I decided to make a ‘wheelchair’. Normally, people throw away injured pets. For Sainaba, ‘Ponnachan’ is precious," said the doctor. tnn