'Hero' teen rescues cat from gang attack

A "heroic" teenager and his mum are being thanked by the RSPCA for saving a cat who was being violently attacked by a gang of boys.

The 14-year-old intervened after seeing the black and white cat being hit with a stick, kicked, and thrown about by the group in Smethwick.

Now nicknamed Bertie, the cat was taken by the rescuer and his mum to the RSPCA, where he is now safe and recovering from his "relatively minor" injuries after being treated by vets.

RSPCA investigators are now appealing for information about the attack outside the Bearwood Court Hotel on Bearwood Road in Smethwick, on Friday 30 May between 18:00 and 19:00 BST.

RSPCA animal rescue officer Sarah Guest said they wanted to find out if Bernie had an owner and track down the boys responsible for the assault.

"We'd really like to thank this 14-year-old lad and his mum for getting Bertie to safety and into the care of the RSPCA," she said.

"This was a really nasty attack on a really nice little cat. They were hitting him, throwing him, hitting him with a stick - the whole thing.

"But bless him, he scooped Bertie up in his arms and took him home. His mum took him to the vet and the vet called us."

Bertie had bitten his tongue "nastily", but Ms Guest said it was healing. He also had cuts and abrasions on his face, a bloody nose, and facial swelling.

He is now being cared for at the RSPCA Birmingham Animal Centre & Hospital in Frankley, Birmingham.

"This was mean and really upsetting. He is a really lovely little cat and the lad did so well to step in and get him to safety," Ms Guest said.

"It's a shame because he's a really lovely cat in himself. He's a nice little boy and he's doing alright, luckily.

"He's not chipped or neutered so we can't trace him back to anybody. But he's very friendly so I think he probably does belong to somebody."

Ms Guest said the 14-year-old who rescued Bertie did not recognise the boys who attacked the cat, but that they were "a little bit younger" than himself.

Anyone with information about Bertie or the attack on him can call the RSPCA appeal line on 0300 123 8018, citing incident number 01534830.

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