People in a building overlooking the Bay Bridge in San Francisco were looking out the window when they spotted something strange on a ledge of the bridge. After a few moments, they suddenly realized that it was a cat wearing a harness and leash, and he was definitely very stuck.
The onlookers knew that the cat was in desperate need of help and immediately contacted San Francisco Animal Care & Control (SF ACC), who then sprang into action.
“Our animal control officers (Sgt. Kent and Ofc. Sherwood) contacted the California Highway Patrol and Caltrans (they help stranded motorists on the bridge) to help them,” Deb Campbell, of SF ACC, told The Dodo. “Those agencies stopped traffic so our ACOs could work safely.”
As the officers peered down at the very stuck cat, they were surprised to see that he didn’t seem scared or concerned, and instead was just kind of hanging out. Still, they knew they needed to get him to safety as soon as possible, as it was a 300-foot drop from where he was down to the road below.
While one officer took hold of the leash, the other officer used a net to very carefully secure the cat and then pull him up off the ledge and to safety at last.
Throughout the entire rescue, the cat remained unfazed, as if he had meant to be on that very dangerous ledge all along.
“He was calm during the rescue and doesn’t seem rattled by the experience,” Campbell said.
The cat, who was determined to be around 6 years old, was in pretty good condition, besides having some fleas and a few scratches. He’s recovering safely in the care of SF ACC, and his rescuers are now embarking on a search to try and find his family.
“Nobody has claimed him yet,” Campbell said. “We’ve had inquiries from people who think he may be their cat, but no matches yet.”
It’s still a mystery as to why the adventurous cat was on the bridge in the first place or where his family may be, but for now, he’s loving his stay at the shelter with all his new friends. He’s a super friendly, confident guy who loves all the attention he’s getting. His rescuers are hoping that by posting pictures of him on social media, his family may eventually recognize him, and they can get him back home where he belongs.
“He’s very friendly and it was hard to get photos as he just wanted to cuddle,” Campbell said.
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