Defib, 17, has been a resident at Walthamstow Ambulance Station since 2008 and has won over a legion of fans who were outraged at a decision to re-home the kitty by new bosses
Campaigners have successfully prevented an elderly cat from being ousted from the ambulance station he’s called home for 16 years.
Defib, a 17 year old black-and-white rescue moggy, has been a resident at Walthamstow Ambulance Station since 2008. The staff there have taken it upon themselves to care for him, paying out of their own pockets for his food and grooming.
An anonymous group of campaigners, who were established to ensure Defib could stay in his home, revealed that the only previous stipulation for his residence was not to post anything about him on the internet. They claim that new management had threatened to evict Defib, who was rescued by staff in 2008, due to ‘allergy concerns’. However, the Chief Executive for the London Ambulance Service has now overturned the decision to re-home the rescue cat.
“On the ‘Save Defib’ WhatsApp group, there’s been outrage,” said the anonymous co-founder of the group. “There’s a new manager who’s decided he’s got to go.
“The reasons cited have been allergies, and age. First of all, he’s a cat – he’s been there for 16 years, he rarely goes out anymore and everyone looks after him. Frankly, you can’t be a paramedic if your allergy to cats is so severe. It’s idiotic – loads of people have cat allergies – they take an antihistamine and get on with it.”
Earlier this week, the group launched a petition to save Defib from eviction. It has gone on to amass an estimated 39,837 signatures in just two days.
“It’s absolutely snowballed,” the co-founder said. “We want to achieve absolutely nothing, but for Defib to be able to stay where he is. The staff would never let anything happen to him.”
The co-founder added Defib is a key part of the station and helps people with their mental health. “It’s the importance of animals when it comes to mental health among emergency services,” they said. “I’ve read every single comment on the petition – there’s a lot of people saying they have a police station cat, or a fire brigade dog. They all find it super helpful.”
Daniel Elkeles, Chief Executive of London Ambulance Service, said: “I have heard all the feedback about Defib the cat and I do believe that my team were trying to make the best decision for both Defib and all our staff. I have listened to the views of the public and many of our staff and we have now agreed that Defib can remain at Walthamstow Ambulance Station. Defib is much-loved by staff at Walthamstow Ambulance Station and evidently, he has won the hearts of the public too.”
