CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – After three days of efforts, city and county workers recently rescued a kitten that was stuck inside a storm drain near Cumberland Drive.
On June 5 around 9:55 a.m., Clarksville Fire Rescue contacted Montgomery County Animal Care and Control for assistance with a kitten trapped in the drainage system, according to MCACC spokesperson Christy Bollinger-Bastin. An MCACC officer responded and could hear him crying from inside the pipe. The officer was unable to safely see or reach him, so a humane trap was set and checked throughout the day. Bollinger-Bastin said he still had not gone into the trap by that evening.
| VIDEO: Footage of the rescue of Rascal
On June 6, CFR returned to assist with lifting the storm drain cover so officers could try again to locate him. “We could still hear the kitten, but (he) remained hidden somewhere in the drainage system,” Bollinger-Bastin said. Another trap was set and monitored, but for safety, they removed the trap and replaced the drain cover each evening.
On June 7 at around 6 p.m., an MCACC officer returned, and they found the kitten safely inside the trap. He was removed from the drain and taken to the shelter.
Bollinger-Bastin said the biggest challenge was being able to hear the kitten in distress but not being able to safely reach him, which required “several days of patience, repeated checks and coordination” between MCACC and CFR.
“Thankfully, the kitten was in good shape with no major injuries or health concerns,” Bollinger-Bastin said. With no owner coming forward, he was processed as a stray and is now being fostered by an MCACC staff member. His name is now Rascal, and MCACC says he will be eligible for adoption after he grows a bit more, likely in a few weeks.
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