A rescue dog who lost a leg after being attacked by children has become a surrogate mother to a litter of kittens in Rochdale. Meg, a cross-breed rescued by the RSPCA centre in 2008, alerted staff to the presence of five kittens hidden in the ceiling of the animal centre on Redcross Street.
Centre manager Jean Spencer, who adopted Meg after the ordeal, often brings the dog to work. Late last Wednesday evening, Jean noticed Meg looking up at the roof and whimpering. Knowing Meg was trying to communicate, Jean investigated and, after several hours of work with helpers, made a large hole in the plasterboard ceiling to retrieve the kittens.
“It was a really unusual rescue,” said Jean, 51. “I know Meg and she was obviously worried about something in the ceiling so I thought I’d better have a look and it was a good thing I did. There was only a space in the ceiling cavity of about eight inches, so we had to make a big hole in the ceiling and work through the night to get them out.”
Staff believe the kittens’ mother may have sneaked in through the roof to give birth, and a female cat who recently gave birth was found in a cat trap left outside the centre. However, the suspected mother will not care for the babies, so staff and volunteers are feeding them around the clock, with assistance from Meg. “Meg is really fond of the kittens,” added Jean. “She is really kind and gentle with them and is always licking them, it is very sweet to see.”
Meg was featured in the Manchester Evening News six years ago after being attacked by children as young as five with sticks on the Darnhill estate in Heywood. Despite losing a leg, she has thrived under Jean’s care and is a friendly presence at the centre. The centre is now struggling to care for the kittens due to overcrowding, with some gerbil enclosures being used for cats. To enquire about rehoming or to donate, call 01706 861897 or visit the RSPCA Rochdale Animal Centre Facebook page.
