By WENDY MITCHELL, Staff Writer
Saturday, August 4, 2007 1:23 AM EDT Print this story | Email this story
GERMANTOWN -- Though it hadn't appeared to be bothering anyone at the east end of the Germantown Fairgrounds, a large, long-haired yellow cat became the victim of a vicious attack Thursday.
Throughout the week exhibitors and fair vendors had seen the big yellow cat wandering and occasionally grabbing a discarded food snack.
"He didn't bother anybody," said Tim Harmon, who operates three of the food stations at the fair. "He was a beautiful cat. My wife and I even talked about taking him home when the fair was over."
Friday morning was a different day.
Fair helpers, including Jake Fredericks, heard a cat crying and traced the cry to a large dumpster near the east gate. It was the big yellow cat, and he was hurt.
"He really wanted out of there, but just couldn't get out. He looked like he was hurt pretty bad," said Fredericks.
Battered, bloodied and soaked in trash residue, this cat was rescued by Germantown Fair personnel and vendors, Thursday. -- Wendy Mitchell/Staff
After getting the battered and soiled animal out of the trash, they placed the cat in the shade under the dumpster and went to find more help.
Harmon and another fair vendor, misunderstanding the location of the cat also looked in the dumpster instead of under it then met up with Fredericks and gingerly retrieved it, placing it in a box and letting it rest in the shade of a nearby tree.
"It is nothing but a low-life that would do something like this to an animal," said the unidentified vendor, who feared the cats front legs or spine may have been broken.
The cat kept his feet curled under him in a protective posture and made whimpering cries when moved.
Harmon had already called his wife about the incident and she offered to take the cat to a veterinarian.
"She's just sick about it," said Harmon.
Becky Harmon took the cat to Colonial Heights Veterinary Clinic where he was given a preliminary exam and a bath before a thorough exam by J.T. Williams, DVM.
The prognosis for recovery is good, said Williams.
"He doesn't appear to be in pain now. It appears there are no broken bones; he is slightly dehydrated and there has been some sort of head trauma which would account for his wobbly walk -- but he does try to walk -- and the appearance of blood in the white of his right eye. There was also some crusted blood around his nostrils, but his mouth, teeth and jaw seem to be working fine," said Williams.
The cat is being offered water to see if it will try to re-hydrate itself; if not intravenous fluids will be used.
"The exam and recovery treatment shouldn't cost too much. Though if we get into I.V. fluids that does get a little costly," said Williams.
Though no witnesses to the alleged attack have come forward, some fair goers recalled a group of rowdy young men being ejected from the fair, late Thursday night, who had gathered near the same area where the cat had been injured.
Anyone with information on the alleged attack should call Mason County Sheriff's Office at 564-3309.
Copyright © 2007 Maysville Newspapers, Inc.
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