Animal Rights Advocate Outraged as Havana Clinic Allegedly Refuses to Operate on Critically Injured Cat

A critically injured cat, struck by a vehicle, underwent surgery in Havana on Monday after animal rights advocates accused a private veterinary clinic of initially refusing to perform the necessary procedure, thereby endangering the cat's life. This accusation was shared on social media by Yenney Caballero, a passionate animal rights defender in Cuba, who described the situation as "outrageous."

Caballero detailed on her Facebook profile that the cat was taken to the Mascolive clinic the previous night. The cat was discovered to have a fever and deceased fetuses in her womb, a condition demanding urgent surgical intervention. However, Caballero claims that the clinic's staff refused to operate, citing a leg fracture that, according to the activist, should not have prevented the surgery.

The clinic reportedly conducted only an ultrasound and demanded 20,000 pesos for the operation, a fee Caballero deemed "completely abusive," especially considering the cat was homeless and the procedure was to remove the deceased fetuses and perform sterilization.

After nearly 24 hours of effort by the rescue team, the cat was eventually taken to another clinic where she was stabilized and successfully operated on. "The important thing is that we managed to do it, as a team," Caballero wrote, expressing gratitude to those who assisted in saving the animal’s life.

Caballero lamented that many criticize without understanding the full situation and clarified that she was coordinating everything remotely, not from Havana. She shared a bank card number 9238129976677130 for those wishing to contribute towards the cat's medical expenses and transportation to a temporary shelter.

In her message, Caballero urged for empathy: "She should have been operated on yesterday, but they didn't care... They put her life at risk without concern that she could have died. Zero empathy and values."

In an earlier post, Caballero expressed her anger over the initial refusal to operate on the cat. She stated she was ready to protest in front of the Mascolive veterinary clinic with other activists, criticizing what she saw as a lack of professional ethics and compassion from the staff. "They’ve gone too far since yesterday. She will not die without being operated on," she wrote, clearly frustrated by the delay and treatment received.

In September 2024, there was a case involving a dog in Havana that died after a state veterinarian refused treatment, despite the clinic still being open. The dog's owner shared her story on social media, explaining that after being turned away, she tried to take her pet to a private clinic, but the dog died en route. This incident sparked widespread outrage among users, who condemned the lack of sensitivity and professionalism of the personnel involved.

Two months later, in November, an animal protection group in Santiago de Cuba reported a man posing as a veterinarian, using the name of a legally established collective and a recognized clinic. The individual deceived pet owners by offering home visits, even though he was not accredited. In response, the affected organization advised the public to always verify veterinary personnel's identity, highlighting the dangers of trusting uncredentialed individuals amidst growing demand and limited supply of reliable veterinary services in Cuba.