MIAMI (WSVN) - A trip to South Florida came to a heroic end for a group of tourists visiting from South Carolina after they helped City of Miami firefighters rescue a kitten that was found stuck in a sewer.
McKenzie Mills said she and her family heard the small feline while walking back to their hotel in downtown Miami, early Sunday morning.
“We were walking down the street this afternoon — not afternoon, but like tonight — and we were walking back to our hotel when we heard something over there,” she said as she held the small black cat. “Some man took the grid off, and we heard her, and she swept up under, and we called 911 to help her and get her out, and she’s here, she’s alive.'”
Officials said the rescue took place near Southeast Third Street and Second Avenue.
Firefighters said they got the call about the trapped kitten.
“All my guys, in a collaborative effort, we just teamed up like we always do — whether it’s a fire, a cat, a car accident — and we did our job,” said Miami Fire Rescue Capt. Antonio Rodriguez. “That’s what we’re here for: save lives and save animals.”
But it was far from an easy save, since the cat kept jumping from pipe to pipe.
Firefighters were relentless, as one of them scaled down the drain and used several techniques to coax the feline out.
After several attempts and several minutes, the team caught the kitty to the sound of cheers from the tourists.
The experience gave crews a heartwarming and happy ending they’ll never forget.
“It feels great, ’cause we accomplished the task at hand,” said Rodriguez. “We’re going home, everybody is safe, and the cat is safe as well.”
“It’s different to take care of a kitten, like, risk your life for another animal, so it’s pretty neat,” said Mills.
The tourists were unable to take the kitten home, but fortunately, passer-by James Damian Hakert agreed to take care of the cat until it finds its forever home.
“It’s so small, but it’s so sweet. It’s purring. It’s just a cute little kitty,” said Hakert. “Anybody would be lucky enough to take this cat home.”
Officials did not specify how the kitten ended up in the drain, but experts have said outdoor cats often take shelter from storms in sewers.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.