A tiny grey kitten is safe and sound after being rescued by Erin Deems, the Executive Director for Saving Grace Animal Rescue, from a storm drain at the KFC intersection in Stettler.
On June 16, Deems came to help after local veterinarians received reports from individuals that a kitten was trapped in a storm drain.
“When I arrived, nobody was there anymore,” she explained. “I removed the drain cover and couldn’t see or hear anything. There was an empty food dish and even a pair of sunglasses down there, so I wondered if someone had already rescued the kitten.”
She made calls to local authorities, including the veterinary clinic, bylaw officers, and Alberta Animal Services. No one had received the kitten. At that point, she thought the kitten must still be there.
After trying different methods to get the kitten to make a noise so she could be sure it was still there, she came up with a solution.
“I started playing mother cat sounds from YouTube on my phone,” she said. “Within about 10 seconds, the kitten started crying back.”
After hearing that the kitten was still there, she used food to lure the cat closer and closer. She was eventually able to snag the kitten and bring him to safety.
Deems estimates that the kitten was about 5 weeks old when she rescued him.
She says she appreciated the community’s support during the rescue.
“I was only there for about 20 to 30 minutes, and at least 30 people stopped to ask if I was okay or if I needed help. Several people even pulled over and got out of their vehicles to offer assistance. Everyone was so kind.”
She added that rescues continue to face the challenges related to overpopulation and limited resources, so these successful rescues are very meaningful to her.
“Whenever you get one of those wins, you hang on to it as long as you can,” she said. “It’s a really good feeling knowing that animal is going to survive.”
The kitten was taken home, given a bath, and is safe and sound. The kitten will likely remain in care for about another month before he’s ready to be adopted.
Author: Alex Mykyta
Alex is the owner of Hometown Productions and Media. He has worked in media for over 10 years.
