SOUTH African pet lovers have started an air bridge for cats and dogs caught up in the violence in neighbouring Zimbabwe. Spurred by television footage in April of farm pets being beaten to death or maimed by war veterans invading white-owned farms, the Johannesburg-based Wet Nose Animal Rescue Centre stepped in. The centre’s spokeswoman, Elmine van der Merwe, said seven dogs and two cats arrived in South Africa on Tuesday and more were expected soon. “We have a permit to bring out 100 animals, but we want to bring out more than that,” she said. British Airways has donated space on three flights from Zimbabwe to South Africa for 10 pets at a time, she said.