Three kittens were rescued by the provincial government of Misamis Occidental after a locally stranded individual (LSI) sought help because they were left in the border of Liloan, Cebu for not having veterinary clearances.

Misamis Occidental Governor Philip Tan, through his official Facebook page, said Sunday the kittens were found and caged in the border control, awaiting to be reunited with their owner.

“The province has finally bought a ‘quarantine facility (referring to the cage)’ for our three special LSIs (locally stranded iring [kittens]) so they will be safe in quarantine. They will remain in the border until their quarantine period. Thank you Liloan border control for always doing the extra mile,” he said in the post.

Tan shared the story on July 17, when an LSI messaged him about the stranded kittens.

He was told that the passenger was not able to bring the kittens because they lacked veterinary clearance, which is a requirement for traveling animals.

It turned out that the LSI was a resident of Iligan City and was in home quarantine, she arrived in one of the ports of Misamis Occidental. She told the governor that it pained her to leave the kittens behind because she nurtured them since birth.

Tan also shared his conversation with other provincial heads.

One of the staff said it’s a requirement for all regions and provinces to secure clearances from veterinary offices, and they also needed to be quarantined for nine days.

The kittens are now undergoing the prescribed quarantine period and were tested for Covid-19 and bubonic infections since previous medical studies suggested that Covid-19 could be acquired by pet animals, particularly cats. (PNA)