Follow Veterinary Practice News on Twitter at @vetpetnews. Early one brisk morning in Rugeley, Staffordshire County, England, a package awaited the employees of a veterinary clinic on Market Street. It was no ordinary, post-office-delivered package lying on the doorstep. It was a living, breathing entity, meowing in its infancy: a kitten. Lenny's abandonment was short-lived. Without his feline mother, or a human substitute, Lenny found refuge in the hands of Joanne Waldron, RVN, head nurse at the Donnachie & Townley veterinary clinic. Waldron took the kitten home and for the first few days fed him at two-hour intervals. A lecturer of the Level 2 Animal Care Course at Stafford College, Waldron brought Lenny to her students, who help care for the kitten. They have bathed Lenny carefully and keep track of his developments. They dote on the kitten, bringing him to and from Stafford College in a specially-prepared basket ? one that contains a hot water bottle and a teddy bear. They have even taken over his feeding schedule, which is now every four hours, on weekdays. "The students have been giving me a bit of a break and making sure that the kitten gets lots of care and affection in his early days," Waldron told Staffordshire Newsletter. "With plenty of help from the students I'll be keeping him until he is fully weaned." Lenny need not worry about being left on a veterinary clinic doorstep again. "We have been inundated with offers of homes," Waldron said. According to Donnachie & Townley, Waldron joined the practice in 1998 and received her RCVS nursing award in 2002. She completed her A1 assessor qualification in 2008 and is currently overseeing the assessment and training of student nurses. Waldron completed the City & Guilds Nutritional Management Course in 2008, which allows her to assist clients in understanding the nutritional needs and diet of their pets. Her most recent accomplishment, besides caring for Lenny, is the completion of an Advanced Award in Feline Nursing. Previous: Jerky Probe Reveals 1,800 More Cases, No Answers Want more Veterinary Practice News? Go here. <HOME>
