An off-duty RSPCA inspector has been reunited with an injured cat he thought was dead. Inspector Daniel Bradshaw spotted a cat by the side of the road in Rainworth, Nottinghamshire, on the way home from a shift last October.
He saw the shape of a cat which he thought was dead. Daniel decided to pull over to move the body as he didn't want it to get hit by other cars and knew if the cat was chipped he could let the owners know.
Much to Daniel's surprise, the cat sat up. The cat had a collar on and was also microchipped so Daniel was able to make contact with the cat's owner, Sally Edwards. The feline was called Dexter.
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Sally was on holiday and Dexter was being looked after by a family member. However, they did not have access to a vehicle so Daniel offered to take the cat to the owner's vets for a check up.
Last month, Daniel was reunited with Dexter, who has made a full recovery. Daniel said: "It was so lovely to see Dexter - even though I'm not sure he was as delighted as me - as he seemed quite aloof!
"It is a rescue that will always stay with me because I will never forget that when I saw the shape of the body of the cat lying on the side of the road. However, I was relieved and also very surprised that when I approached the cat he sat up. I think he had been hit by a car so I was eager to get him to a vet as soon as possible.
"I contacted his owner whose details were up-to-date on the microchip and told her what had happened. Dexter was insured and registered with a vet in Newark - as the owner couldn't get anyone to help take Dexter to the vet, I offered to take him rather than his owner driving all the way back from her holiday during the night.
"Despite his injuries 14-month old Dexter made a great recovery and his delighted owner called me to let me know. I was so pleased to hear that he had gone from what I thought was being dead - to being reunited with his loving family.
"I think this just shows that as an RSPCA officer you never switch off - and if there is an animal in need myself and my colleagues will always do what we can to help. It was a bit of a long round trip in the opposite direction to my home but it was worth it to know that he was able to return back with his family where he belongs."
Dexter's owner Sally added: "Daniel showed such outstanding compassion to my cat Dexter and I am quite sure he only survived because of Daniel's actions. If he had not stopped, Dexter would have lain there and probably died of shock and hypothermia.
"Dexter was really poorly following his accident and it was touch and go. He spent three days at the vets before he was able to come home. I cannot thank Daniel enough. He is an absolute hero and it is so refreshing and reassuring to know there are some wonderful human beings in the world like Daniel."
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