AN ANDOVER veterinary surgery has apologised unreservedly after a member of staff turned away a woman who had brought in a dead cat for help.

Anton Vets has confirmed that an employee told a member of the public who brought a deceased cat in for injuries to take it back to where it was hit.

The woman, who found the injured animal and had taken it to Anton Mill Road practice for help, distressingly then had to bury the cat herself.

A spokesman for Anton Vets said it had carried out an “internal investigation” and was saddened to find this complaint was true.

In a statement, the practice wrote: “A recent Facebook post regarding a deceased cat has been brought to our attention.

“We have carried out an internal investigation and are sadden to find this post was true.

“We apologise unreservedly for the distressed caused and are putting in place measures to prevent further incidents like this.

“We have always tried to do our best for pets and their owners and we are truly sorry to those affected by this.”

Supporters of the practice have spoken out in solidarity with the surgery, with one writing: “I have never had anything but the highest praise for Anton Vets and the care given to my animals. I would never hesitate to recommend them.”

While another wrote: “Honestly, I have never had a bad experience with Anton Vets. I take my birds when they need more specialist treatment than my local vets can offer and they’ve never treated them or me with anything more than compassion and understanding that exotic pets are a part of the family.”

And one person put: “It was a pretty poor decision by the person at the vets but they have apologised and put a system that will make this impossible in the future and admitted the mistake. I think that’s pretty good of them to hold their hands up.”

Others expressed their disappointment. A woman wrote: “My god, whoever turned that poor cat away needs a good telling off big time. Why become a vet if you don’t care about animals? Utterly shocking.”

And another said: “They could have taken it in with some dignity and not told the finder to put it back where it was found dead.”

According to advice from the Cats Protection, the woman who brought in the injured cat was following the correct protocol.

Their guidance asks members of the public who find a dead cat to first move the animal to safety before transporting them to the nearest vet.

Advice on their website reads: “The vet will be able to scan the cat for a microchip and contact the owner to let them know if the cat is chipped.

“If you’re unable to visit your local vet, get in contact with your local Cats Protection, who may be able to help identify the cat. You can find your nearest branch or centre by typing in your postcode at www.cats.org.uk/find-us

“If you cannot take the cat to a vet or local Cats Protection, you can report any dead animals you find on the road to the local council, where they often have dead animal removal services.”

For more information about how to report dead animals, visit the government’s website: gov.uk/report-dead-animal.