TE NUPEPA O TE TAIRAWHITI TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2020 HOME-DELIVERED $1.90, RETAIL $2.20 • Hospital visitor restrictions eased • Too early for Alert Level regional approach: Mayor • Turanga Health on influenza vaccination ‘crusade’ COVID 19 • Court ruling allowed son to visit dying father • Govt considering opening borders to Australia PAGES 2-14, 16, 21-22, 24 • Billions pledged in race to find Covid-19 vaccine Malicious poisoning? Owners suspect antifreeze toxicity behind the deaths of four cats by Matai O’Connor failure and this can be likely caused by ethylene glycol (antifreeze) toxicity. THE suspected poisoning of four cats during “There’s not really any coming back from the Covid-19 lockdown has led to the owners this type of condition but we were still deciding to move to another area of Gisborne. hopeful,” the owner said. One cat died and three others were Martha started to have seizures. The team euthanised because of acute kidney failure caring for her tried to control it but she died in believed to have been caused by antifreeze the clinic. toxicity. Pickles perked up and appeared to be in a The owners, who wish to remain anonymous, stable condition. believe someone in the The following night, another neighbourhood maliciously of their cats, Patrick, seemed poisoned their cats — all of All of our animals quiet although was eating and which they had “rescued”. ‘are our absolute playing as normal. They decided to shift to “We monitored him and protect their future pets. children. To lose them he started to vomit and Early on Thursday, April 9, is devastating went downhill quickly in the one of the cats, Pickles, started ’ morning.” vomiting, which was “very When Patrick got to the vets, unusual,” one of the cat owners his bloodwork was found to be said. the same as the other two. Within about five minutes a second cat, Pickles and Patrick stayed in the clinic Martha, also started vomiting, causing “alarm overnight. bells to ring”. On Saturday morning, another cat, Fergus, One of the owners trained as a vet nurse so started showing minor symptoms. knew the cats needed to be seen by a vet as They took him to the vet just in case. soon as possible. He was diagnosed with the same condition “They were both really disoriented, falling and a blood test showed his kidneys were in over and wouldn’t stop vomiting. the worst state of all the cats. “Once we got them to Eastland Vet Services The vets tried an ethanol transfusion, which they pulled some blood from the cats and ran works as an antidote for ethylene glycol. their bloodwork. “They found the cats were in acute kidney CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 LOVED PETS: Among the four cats suspected to have been poisoned by antifreeze were Fergus (main picture), Pickles (near right) and Patrick (far right). Fergus was a one-year-old SPCA male with dwarfism who his owners hand-raised then adopted “because we wanted him to be in the best care he could be”. Three-year-old Pickles was born during the Edgecumbe flood and was destined to be a breeding cat for someone else. “We fell in love with her . she always slept between our pillows every night and would hold on to your arm and cuddle into you,” the owners said. Patrick, 2, was advertised on the Gisborne Pet Adoption page after being found under the bonnet of a car that had travelled into town. “He was very scared and feral when we got him. We kept him as we fell in love with his sweet nature and although he was always timid of other people, he was the best cat for helping raise foster kittens as he would clean and play with them.” Pictures supplied Want a career in Real life | Real learning ENQUIRE NOW eit.ac.nz Business? Real business MAY & JULY START Check out FEES-FREE STUDY* feesfree.govt.nz STUDY BUSINESS AT ALL LEVELS - DEGREE & DIPLOMA * Conditions apply. Give yourself an edge in the highly competitive world of business and gain local industry experience. With intakes each eit.ac.nz/business | [email protected] term, choose from full-time, part-time and online study options. EIT’s business courses are lexible to suit your needs. 30579-01 GISBORNE RUATORIA WAIROA Local News ...... 1-5 Business ............10 Classifieds .........17 Kids Page ..........20 Births & Deaths ...4 Opinion ..............11 Racing ................18 Sport ............ 21-24 9 771170 043005 TOMORROW National ........ 6-7, 9 World...... 12-14, 16 Television ...........19 Weather .............23 > 2 NEWS The Gisborne Herald • Tuesday, May 5, 2020 Say it with chocolate by Sophie Rishworth A KIND donation of chocolate was handed out to Gisborne Hospital staff last Friday. It was delivered and paid for by The Warehouse staff of Gisborne, who wanted to give back. Boxes off Easter treats and other chocolate went to the staff who have been working through the lockdown. Planet Sunshine clinical nurse manager Deb McKay said the Easter eggs were shared with everyone in the children’s ward. “It was a very welcome treat at the end of the week,” she said. “Chocolate always makes people smile.” The Warehouse Gisborne store manager Paul Jackson said the team spent their own money on Easter eggs and other chocolate, which they donated to the essential workers at Gisborne Hospital. “We are really proud of our team who came up with the idea to do something for the people who are doing essential work in our town. “It was a great gesture from a group of really community-minded people, who are always wanting to give back. We are all THANKS FOR YOUR EFFORTS: Planet really thankful and grateful for the work Sunshine clinical nurse Deb McKay that everyone is doing. “ receives a gift of chocolate. Picture supplied Hauora Tairawhiti chief executive Jim Green thanked the staff at The Warehouse “Challenges for staff who have been for thinking of the people at Gisborne working long hours in uncertain times. Hospital. “Challenges for staff who have been “It is really appreciated at a time with reassigned to other teams where they have challenges for all of us. had to quickly learn new skills or ways of “Challenges for the people who have been working. admitted to Gisborne Hospital. At a time “Challenges for staff who have returned SPECIAL DELIVERY: Security guard Vance Cosgrove helped to distribute the when being with your loved ones has never to the hospital after working from home to boxes of Easter chocolate delivered and paid for by The Warehouse Gisborne been so important, they can only have one find so many things have changed and that staff members to show their appreciation of the work Gisborne Hospital staff member of their bubble visit them. they need to quickly adapt.” have been doing over the Covid-19 pandemic crisis. Picture supplied Plea to talk to owners if there are issues with cats FROM PAGE 1 mention to the team at Eastland Vet States but had not heard of other Services who cared for our animals and situations like this in Gisborne. On the Sunday, they got the call that showered us in kindness. A colleague who had worked there for Pickles and Patrick were not well. “I think if we didn’t have such an a long time told her she had rarely seen “Pickles had a grand mal seizure so amazing team of people caring for our this happen. she had to be sedated. animals this could have been a lot more The cat owners informed police and “Patrick started vomiting in the clinic traumatic than it was.” there is a case open. and wasn’t eating, becoming twitchy from The vet bill was over $2500. Funds “Since inquiries are ongoing we have the toxicity.” have been raised by one of their friends no comments at this stage,” a police The decision was made to euthanise to cover the cost. spokesperson said. Patrick and Pickles. Eastland Vet Services veterinarian “SPCA will be your first port of call “We felt they had gone through enough Sarah Wratten could not comment when it comes to animal cruelty, though, and we didn’t want them to suffer on whether the cats were maliciously if you witness any suspicious activities anymore.” poisoned as she does not know for in relation to your pets or any other They took Fergus home as he seemed DEVASTATING LOSS: The owners of certain. animals, please call police on 105,” they well and they were able to continue his three-year-old Martha rescued her from “My job is to treat them medically. The said. palliative care at home. Hamilton where she was born under a only way to get a definitive diagnosis An SPCA spokesperson said if people After about a week they decided he had house. “We drove all the way there to get is to send a kidney to a pathologist for suspected a pet had ingested a harmful suffered enough and had him euthanised. her and bring her home to us.” Martha confirmation,” she said. substance and the pet was awake and “All of our animals are our absolute died from acute kidney failure suspected “I highly suspect antifreeze to be the alert, do not induce vomiting. children. To lose them is devastating, to be caused by antifreeze toxicity. culprit but cannot definitively say that “If the product is corrosive or irritating, especially when all of them had been Picture supplied was the case unless we have confirmation make water available and call the vet rescued. from pathology. immediately. “It has been really traumatic.” find neighbours who know about the cat”.