Robbie receives PDSA award after pulling through extensive burns

Courageous cat Robbie, from Croydon, has been named PDSA Pet Survivor of the Year after being caught in a terrible fire and suffering extensive burns.

The award recognises the work of the veterinary team that provided Robbie's life-saving treatment, the dedication of his owner and last but certainly not least, Robbie's own determination to survive despite all the odds stacked against him.

Believed to have been a stray, Robbie was just six-months-old when he took refuge under an abandoned sofa in Ash, Kent in May this year. Somehow the sofa was set alight and consumed by flames, with Robbie still inside.

He was rushed to Broadway Vets in Herne Bay with severe burns to his face, head, legs and paws. During his extensive treatment, vets say he was patient and tolerant despite the pain and discomfort he was in.

Principal vet Sarah Platt said: "Robbie was in shock when he arrived and needed intensive care. He stayed with us for six-months during which time he had two skin grafts and daily dressing changes. One of his back legs also had to be amputated. But Robbie always loved attention even when he was critically ill - very few animals could have coped the way he did.”

Robbie's treatment cost thousands of pounds, which, incredibly, was largely paid for by the local community after Broadway Vets published appeals in the local paper.

His story was seen by Gill Smith, 54, while she was visiting Herne Bay. Despite living some distance away in south Croydon, Gill began visiting him regularly and got involved with the fundraising activities for his treatment. When no owner came forward, she offered Robbie a forever home.

Gill said: “I’m over the moon that Robbie has won PDSA Pet Survivor 2013! Robbie is a unique character and he still bears the physical scars from his fiery ordeal. The tips of his ears are missing, he has a ‘Mohican’ due to the skin graft on his head, and the toes on his remaining back leg were ‘melted’ together into a stump.

"But despite this he runs around the house like a rocket. He is a little hero, and his bravery and fortitude have inspired many people in the community.”

A panel of celebrity judges, alongside PDSA vets, had the difficult task of choosing six finalists from all the pet survivor entries they received. The finalists then went to a public vote between December 8 to 15.

Senior PDSA vet Elaine Pendlebury said: "We were inundated with amazing stories of pets that have survived against all odds. The entries included pets hit by trains, lost on the moors, crushed by tractors, bitten by snakes and cancer sufferers to name but a few. They were truly inspirational and helped to remind me why I originally decided to become a vet."

Image courtesy of the PDSA