We received this e-mail
from a good Samaritan who rescued little 'Westi' from the hands of a street
vendor, and this is not the first time we've heard of incidents of street
vendors trying to sell kittens.
Wednesday, 12th December 2007, approx 17:15
I was on my way home from
work, and had to stop at the robot at the intersection at Republic Road,
at the bottom of Cresta Shopping Centre. As usual there were a few
vendors passing through the vehicles trying to sell their wares.
Amongst them was a vendor
holding a little kitten. He was obviously trying to sell the kitten. I
was absolutely horrified at the way this poor little thing's head was
stuck against every passing car's window. It was a very hot afternoon,
and the little kitten was wriggling and obviously trying to get away
from the vendor's grip.
I stopped at the garage
opposite the intersection, and the man came running towards me.
I got out of my car, and in a state of fury demanded he give the kitten
to me. In turn, he demanded a sum of R1,700.00 for the kitten. I said I
only had a little money on me, but was prepared to give it to him, as I
was afraid he would just the drop the kitten in the oncoming traffic.
I had R200.00 in my purse
and offered that to him. By this time, the kitten was sitting on my
passenger seat. He refused, leaned into my car, and grabbed the kitten,
again demanding R1,700.00. I got back into the car, locked the doors and
told him off. I also said I was going straight to the Fairland Police
Station to report him. At this he leaned into the car again, grabbed
the R200 which I had dropped on the passenger seat and dropped the
kitten into my lap. He ran off with the money.
When I called Adele on
Thursday, she mentioned I was the fourth person reporting a similar case
of events of vendors trying to sell baby kittens next to the road. I
know that by buying these animals will only motivate them in their trade
as they are making money from helpless and defenceless animals, however
on the other side of the coin, no animal lover could bear to think of
what might happen to these defenceless creatures, if we do not offer to
take them at a price.
Nothing in this country
shocks me any more, but this event was just the cherry on the cake!!
