A woman fretted rabies for days as she tried to get the city to pick up a stray cat that bit her son
TEXAS -- Nurse Brenda Ford petted a white and orange cat July 28, she said.
It followed her to her third-floor apartment, and moments later her son's girlfriend rushed in screaming that a cat outside was hissing at her. Ford's 23-year-old son stepped out the door, and the cat clung to his leg and bit him, Ford said.
He scrubbed the wound with alcohol as she called the hospital and police. The emergency room doesn't offer rabies shots, Ford learned, and she was told to contact the health department Monday.
A police dispatcher notified an on-call animal control officer, who called Ford to inform that they don't trap animals on weekends.
Ford corralled the cat on her balcony, and her son contacted Roland Sanchez at the city's Animal Care Services early Monday, who agreed to collect the cat that day.
At 10 p.m. Tuesday Ford emailed Troubleshooter a plea for help.
"I guess I just keep the cat on my balcony while its 100 degrees ..." Ford wrote.
Troubleshooter on Wednesday morning forwarded her email to Corpus Christi Police Department's Assistant Chief Mark Schauer, who oversees animal care services.
"Normally we will drop other things for bite cases," Schauer assured, before passing Ford's information on.
Schauer learned Sanchez completed a report Monday, and later told his supervisor he attempted to contact Ford to pick up the cat but couldn't leave a message because the message box was full.
The cat was retrieved about 11 a.m. Wednesday and quarantined for observation.
Interim Director Jesse Carreon said Friday that no animals with rabies have been retrieved in recent months and recommends that people avoid contact with strays.
(Caller.com - Aug 7, 2012)
