In a bizarre twist to a routine traffic incident, St. Louis County became the makeshift sanctuary for a pair of African servals following a vehicular accident. The event unfolded on I-270 near New Halls Ferry Road Wednesday afternoon, as reported by First Alert 4. The Missouri State Highway Patrol's crash report noted a car had stalled on the road, only to be rear-ended by another driver suspected of operating the vehicle under the influence.
The exotic cats were thrust into the spotlight after being extracted from the wreckage, now finding temporary refuge at the APA Adoption Center in Olivette. "When I got the phone call, I was like, “We’re taking in what?” she said with a laugh. “I’m really proud of my team for being able to handle a serious situation like this," Dr. Kanika Cunningham, the St. Louis County health director, told FOX 2 News. Sadly, the same accident also resulted in the hospitalization of three adults and a 7-year-old girl.
After the rescue, one of the servals required immediate medical attention at a local veterinary hospital following the appearance of blood on its nose, as KSDK informed.
With the servals' arrival, APA Adoption Center grappled with the challenge of overcrowding, which led to the relocation of several large dogs to carve out space for the new, unexpected guests. The overflow of animals at the facility has prompted APA Olivette to waive adoption fees on all pets from November 8 through November 10, according to a news release. However, they have been clear that the servals will not be joining the ranks of adoptable pets. Amidst the care provided to the servals, placed on a diet of raw chicken and housed in the shelter's "dog quarantine" area, Dr. Cunningham reflected on the situation with surprise and levity. "You would’ve never thought that the health department would be the one that could come in and truly save the lives of servals, and that’s what we did," she told FOX 2 News.
