A Rescue No One Saw Coming Ends with Hope for an Entire Genet Family

Photo Credit: South African Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre

The South African Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre is celebrating the people whose compassion gave an injured mother and her unborn kittens a brighter future.

Johannesburg, South Africa (13 July 2026) – Heartwarming stories of hope have become a familiar theme at the South African Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, where dedicated rescuers, veterinarians and members of the public continue to go above and beyond for injured wild animals.

A pregnant spotted genet and her unborn kittens have been given a second chance, thanks to a group of ordinary South Africans whose compassion once again proved that wildlife rescue is a true team effort.

Their latest rescue began when a woman named Hannetjie came across an injured spotted genet after what appeared to have been an encounter with a dog.

Rather than walking away, she immediately stepped in, following the rehabilitation centre’s advice to keep the frightened animal calm and safe while help was arranged.

Getting the genet to veterinary care, however, proved easier said than done.

With no transport available from the remote location, wildlife rescuer Judy climbed into her trusty bakkie and set off on a six-hour round trip to collect the injured animal before delivering her safely to veterinarian Dr Garith Newby at Selpark Veterinary Clinic.

The examination revealed both worrying and hopeful news.

The genet had suffered a fractured leg, believed to be around three weeks old. Thankfully, the injury had already begun healing naturally, with healthy bone callus forming around the fracture.

Veterinarians confirmed she was carrying multiple kittens and, despite everything she had been through, both mother and her unborn babies were expected to make a full recovery.

Once her treatment is complete, she will return to the rehabilitation centre, where she’ll be given the peace and quiet needed to safely give birth and raise her young. When the kittens are old enough, the entire family will eventually be released back into the wild together, allowing the mother to teach them the survival skills only a wild genet can pass on.

The rehabilitation centre says stories like these are only possible because of people who choose to stop and help instead of driving past.

From Hannetjie’s quick thinking to Judy’s long journey and Dr Garith Newby’s expertise, every person played a role in saving not just one animal, but an entire future family.