Local residents rely on paramedics to save lives, but on Friday during a sudden house fire in Heart Lake, local paramedic Richard Reed went above the regular call of duty, saving a very charred kitty from the smouldering home. The fire almost took all nine lives from the frisky feline when Reed picked up the very scared and very singed cat outside of the house.
“He must have been trying to escape the blaze. When we found him he wasn’t looking to good,” said Reed.
The cat, who has since been named “Scorch” by the local EMT’s, had third degree burns from the fire and severely burned paws, but when none of the homeowners came forward to claim the cat, Reed decided to step in and take it to the local veterinarian to be checked out.
“It was shivering and flaccid. The cat was in obvious pain,” Reed said. “In that moment when you see an animal hurt, human nature just takes over.”
Reed and his partner John Knutson took the cat to the Lakeland Veterinarian Clinic in Lac La Biche and decided to pay for the feline’s shots and care.
“The vet was really good, he didn’t charge us the full price. We wondered if we should even bring the cat in because the risk of infection was so great, but in the end we couldn’t just leave it there to die.”
Currently the cat is being looked after at the Lakeland clinic, and according to veterinary assistant Bonnie Delorey, Scorch is doing quite well.
“We’ve put her on a special food diet. She’ll need a lot of protein to replenish her burns, but she’s doing quite well. We’re happy to help out, they are super guys for bringing her in.”
The cat is still looking for home, but Reed has taken it upon himself to make sure Scorch is well taken care of.
“We’re still looking for a home for the cat. It’s tough because there are so many stray cats in Lac La Biche already,” he said. “What we really need is to have an animal shelter that will support cats.”
Unless a home is found for Scorch, Reed is planning on taking him home to Calgary after his paramedic shift finishes up on Oct. 9.
If anyone is interested in adopting Scorch, contact the Lakeland Veterinary Service.
