Hair we go again
It’s second time Leia has donated her locks
19.07.2018 A determined schoolgirl is getting her long locks chopped off for charity – for the second time.
Leia Kenmuir-Brown first donated her long hair to charity two years ago, along with her dad Russell.
But this time she’s going it alone after growing her hair back to chest-length and again will donate the hair to the Little Princess Trust.
Proud mum Claire said: “She’s been going for trims since the last big cut but she’s been growing it in the knowledge that she’s going to do it again “It’s a mission for her. “Her hair stretches down to her chest now. It grows like wildfire.
“She’s been on Pinterest looking at haircuts and has decided on her new style. It will be longer than last time. It’s a longish pixie cut she’s gone for.
“I’m delighted. It’ll be so much easier to brush.”
Leia, seven, has Asperger’s and doesn’t enjoy getting her hair cut.
Claire, 40, explained: “Part of her Asperger’s is feeling like there isn’t any point to having her hair cut.
“She’s apprehensive but she’s determined to go ahead. It’s all got to be on her terms.
“We were waiting until she was ready. She said she wanted to get it cut in July so I phoned the hairdresser.
“She has to get it cut by Bria at Room 19, that’s the only place she’ll go. She’s been cutting her hair since she was two and a half.”
Leia has just finished primary three in Kilbarchan Primary and will be going into primary four after the summer holidays sporting her new look.
The Little Princess Trust provides real-hair wigs free of charge to children and young people up to the age of 24 who have sadly lost their own hair due to cancer treatment and other illnesses.
Leia raised a lot of money for the charity last time but Claire said they’ve decided just to focus on the hair donation when she gets it cut on Friday.
“She knows why her hair is getting cut and what she’s doing with it,” Claire explained.
“I’m very proud of her. We’ll champion her all the way. Whatever she wants to do, we’ll help her to do it.” Paisley vets Kerry Molloy, from Love Street Vets, and Neil McIntosh, of Abbey Veterinary Group, share their views with you every Thursday. Today, Neil turns the spotlight on animal hit-and-runs.
A recent survey by a leading pet insurance company has revealed some startling facts.
Apparently, onein-five car drivers has knocked down a dog or cat and one quarter of them further admitted to simply driving off and leaving the injured animal lying on the road.
This means that there are at least 1.5 million people in Britain who are guilty of animal hitand-run.
Doubtless, most of these motorists were blameless as far as the accident was concerned. After all, a black cat on a dark night can appear out of nowhere, but to leave the scene without stopping is surely inexcusable.
For so many drivers to have done so must mean there is a reason.
I simply don’t believe it is because they are heartless and don’t care.
I think it far more likely it is because they really don’t know what to do and because they are worried they may be left with a large veterinary bill if they get involved.
Many of the animals injured on the road are subsequently taken to a local vet by a kind passer-by and, whilst this may allow vital emergency treatment few appreciate that vets have absolutely no legal authority to treat these pets.
I well remember euthanising a mortally injured dog at 2am, only for the owner to turn up a few days later and accuse me of malpractice.
So what should you do if you are unfortunate enough to hit a pet on the public highway?
To find out, I spoke to Police Scotland. They told me that you are required to report to a police station within 24 hours if a dog is involved but that this action is not required for a cat.
I didn’t think this was very helpful.
They missed out the fact that the Environmental Protection Act 1990 makes the police and the local authority responsible for stray dogs. In particular, this Act puts a duty on the police to attend to animals lying injured on the public highway and for them to seek veterinary attention, if it is required.
With the police in attendance, a vet can do his job properly without fear of subsequent legal action by the owner.
When I spoke to the Scottish SPCA for their advice, they were more forthcoming.
They pointed out that only the police could park and stop traffic on a motorway, so they should always be called if an animal is found there. On other roads, they said that a society inspector would attend the scene and summon veterinary treatment.
So, now you have no excuse.
If you do, through no fault of your own, knock down a dog or cat, stop.
If it is lying on the road and cannot move, phone the police with the location and ask them to attend.
Do not be fobbed off with the advice that you should take it to a vet. This is neither the safest nor quickest way to get treatment.
Since the police are not responsible for cats, it is better to contact the SSPCA, who will help.
Don’t just become another statistic.
And stay safe.
I remember euthanising a mortally injured dog at 2am, only for the owner to turn up a few days later and accuse me of malpractice