Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Darlinghurst Blog: Animal Life: Minky the Street Cat

Feeling restless one recent steamy Darlinghurst night, I decided to go on an evening slink around the neighbourhood; to wander the backstreets, tire myself out with the Burton Street hill and hopefully come across something interesting. It didn't take long.


Pasted up on a telegraph pole on Farrell Avenue was a letter to the 'residents and carers of our dear street cat'. 
Minky the street cat - a fine looking feline - is apparently Farrell Avenue's own version of Ralf, (except that Royston Street's Ralf does have an 'owner' and his own Facebook account).
So I was saddened to read about Minky the Street Cat's recent brush with an unleashed, aggressive dog.


The letter read:
"Minky was badly mauled by a nasty Staffordshire bull terrier (which was NOT on a leash) last Saturday (5/1/13) in the park where she sleeps.
"She would have died but for our quick attention to her plight.
"Our wonderful Rose Bay vet saved her life that night. To date she has not incurred any infection. Her 'will to live' was undiminished despite some horrible injuries. She has had two surgical procedures to get her back on her wobbly feet.
"I know many of you have been worried about her welfare for a long time and I hope it will be better safeguarded in future. 
"With the more recent proliferation of dogs in the vicinity (especially of unleashed aggressive dogs) she needs to be protected henceforth.
"If you want any further information about her, please feel free to give me a call on 0417 294 014, Darryl."


Awwww, poor little Minky! 
But good on Darryl for taking her to the vet and ensuring she was OK. 
I wonder now what they will do to introduce her back to the little park on Farrell Avenue. 
I might take her a little care package, with an assortment of Ralf's favourite Dines, and leave it at the foot of the telegraph pole.
Long live Minky!

6 comments:

Flyingus Foxii. said...

Good on you Violet, for caring and bringing these incidents to notice.

Poor street animals everywhere are having a tough time in these "enlightened" times. In these dark times it's ok to have a vicious dog (much street cred) and various creepy crawlies as "pets", but our poor feline friends are persecuted as they were in the Middle Ages. It's as if all the witch burners have been reincarnated as "environmentalists".

I help a good friend with animal rescues on the Central Coast and some of the cases are heartbreaking.

I wish you were Lord Mayor (or whatever the title is in PC speak)

Anonymous said...

Unleashed dogs need to be banned - removed from owners, fined, and if they do attack other animals - euthanised.

Anonymous said...

Dear Violet,

Thanks for the little gift for Minky -what a sweet heart you are! I've tried a few times to reply here (maybe the "anonymous" will work...)

Minky is to come out of "hospital" tomorrow (21.1.13) She's had a long battle but has been spared to live a few more years. She looks like a kitten but is 12yrs old.

She will not be going back on the street/park - it's become a bit to dangerous. (I have only looked out and fed her for 2yrs of the 10) Her owner over the period has been largely neglectful...so I have finally shamed her into transferring the Ownership to myself.

Many people have contacted me and will be saddened that they will not see her as before. but they understand.

We (with the Sydney City Council) are homing in on the "unleashed owners"! Will keep you posted.

By the way, Ralph of Royston St fame comes in and out of No 12 (a friend lives there and lets him in and out..be kind to him.

Cheers, Darryl

Bastion said...

Hi Violet, well all good news about our dear Minky..Darryl and I picked her up from the vet's on Monday Morning at around 10am-11am and brought her home to Darryl's place, and she sat on his lap all the way home, looking at the strange Views she had never seen before..At first she stayed under the bed but still ate but as Darryl told me, today being Tuesday, she has been centing her new home and making herself at home and out from under the bed and walking all over the place and sleeping on the Balcony's..So she's adjusting but is still on pain relief for the pins put in her front poor and it won't be mended for another two week's, "so she's a bit sore still" but sound's like she's fitting into life off the street's and doing well in her new home..I will see her tomorrow and keep you up to date of her progress but she's is doing better than we expected..I have also posted yesterdays pictures of her leaving the Vet's & arriving at her new home, on my "Abandoned cat's" page on facebook. Thanks and keep up the great work your doing for our community around here, Bastion...:o)

Chris said...

Minky doesn't actually have an "owner" at all.

Her owners, years ago, left her behind.

There was a lady on the corner of Farrell and Clapton who was trying to look after her. She even installed a cat door in her window but Minky is a street cat and prefers the streets.

it's nice that Darryl has taken care of and taken her in, but it will be sad not to see Minky laying on the car bonnets.

Unknown said...

What a terrible thing to happen to Minky and glad she is now OK and being properly cared for.

What utter rubbish are the conclusions being drawn from the incident though. Rosebank Park should stay a place where people can take their dogs and let them off the leash. Accompanied dogs are OK. Street/feral cats who endanger birds and wildlife (and suffer attacks like this) is what Council should do something about.

Is the plan to disenfranchise all these dogs and owners for the sake of ONE cat who doesn't even live in the park anymore? I hardly see what the point is. Every other cat in the neighbourhood is safe because they run away from dogs...