They had to act fast.
Earlier this month, while walking through the River Arts District in Asheville, North Carolina, three friends were suddenly halted by a faint, distressed sound.
“They initially thought it was a bird,” said Eric Phelps, executive director of Sister Kitten Animal Rescue. “But as they listened closer, they realized it was a kitten crying out for help and set off to find where the sound was coming from.”
The group—Tanner Bornemann and sisters Lauren and Savannah Willingham—searched the area and eventually discovered the source of the cries: a frightened kitten trapped at the bottom of an open cement pipe.
Thinking quickly, the friends wrapped some chicken in a scarf and lowered it into the pipe. The kitten, eager for food, grabbed onto it, and they carefully pulled him to safety. By the time Phelps arrived to assist further, the kitten was already being held securely in one of the rescuers’ arms.
“I was overjoyed!” Phelps said.
Soon, the kitten, now named Luigi, was resting comfortably in a new safe place, where he could recover from his ordeal.
“Luigi is doing wonderfully!” Phelps shared. “He was very hungry after his rescue and has such a sweet, friendly nature.”
Phelps is confident that with his charming looks and lovable personality, Luigi will have no trouble finding a forever home.
“He’s absolutely adorable,” Phelps added with a smile.