Poor Sparky was stuck down a toilet for days before an animal welfare group and a fire brigade teamed up to rescue her. She surprised everyone by showing signs of life and then making a recovery.
THREE CHEERS FOR THE FIRE SERVICE, says Hounslow Animal Welfare Society, of West London, UK. HAWS was called to rescue a litter of kittens recently, and was faced with the problem of a kitten trapped down a toilet in an empty shop. After their efforts couldn’t bring the kitten up they enlisted the fire service, who were able to release the tiny animal.
While the kitten first appeared to have died, a tiny spark of life let rescuers know it was still alive, so the kitten was taken for medical care. She has surprised everyone with her improvement, and now, just a few days after the rescue, the kitten has been moved from the medical facility and into boarding care.
HAWS tells the story (slightly edited version):
On Monday [July 16], we were called out to an abandoned shop where there were stray cats and kittens. We were told one of the kittens had gone down the toilet, possibly a few days earlier. There was no water in the toilet so we put some old carpet in there in the hope it could climb out.
No such luck, though, so in desperation we called the fire brigade, and they came within 10 minutes, with sirens blazing. Fire brigade members smashed the toilet and pipework and pulled out the kitten, freezing cold, soaking wet and covered in excrement, and said, “sorry it’s dead”.
We discovered a faint heartbeat, then neighbors rallied round with hot water bottles, towels, and a hairdryer to warm it after it was washed. The kitten was rushed to Medivet where they had everything ready to receive it. The vets were not very hopeful.
Miraculously by 8 pm that night this little scrap only about 8 weeks old, was starting to sit up and take notice. Not out of the woods yet, but we became very hopeful.
Update from vets – it’s a girl !! She’s doing really well, eating, grooming herself and happy to see people. On antibiotics just in case and meds for her upset tummy. She’s already been moved out of medical care to general boarding tomorrow.
Today we sent a thank you email yesterday to the firemen together with the photos, and asked if they would like to name the kitten they rescued. This is what they said….
“You’re very welcome for the help we gave to get the cat out, we’re just glad we was able to do it in time!
Glad to hear she is doing well and getting stronger, always nice to hear how casualties are doing.
I have spoken to the crew from the day and we’d like to call her SPARKY if that’s ok? Due to her only having a small spark of life in her which is now growing.”
So Sparky she is!
I can’t BELIEVE a little kitten would be in that kind of predicament for that length of time. Thank the good Lord she survived. What to name her now? T.P.? E.B. for Extremely Blessed?