A Little Miracle

The bell did not toll for Bella

When owner Jan van Niekerk and his wife Arina were forced to abandon their business premises on Thursday afternoon after it was set alight and nothing could be done to stop the flames from slowly engulfing the buildings, they realised that they were not sure if their three office cats were still inside.

On Monday morning, Jan and one of his helpers set off into what was left of the Walker Bay Recycling buildings. The rubble was still hot in some places as they searched for anything salvageable. They walked into one of the sheds to check the damage when they heard a faint meow coming from beneath the rubble. After some searching they found a miracle… Bella! She had been trapped in the burning rubble for four days, but had somehow managed to survive.

Dr Sandy Waddinham of Hermanus Animal Hospital with Bella.

■ While the recent unrest has traumatised the entire community, we should perhaps bear in mind that it is especially the most innocent members of society – the children and animals – that are suffering the most. Who can forget the horrific image of a cat being swung on a chain by one of the protesters? The image has made local and international headlines, leading to a reward of more than R6 000 for information that could lead to the identification and arrest of the culprit.

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