“[Please] help …”
Earlier this month, San Antonio Animal Care Services (San Antonio ACS) officer Rosemarie Tutak received a call about a cat trapped somewhere in a storm drain. The details were vague — no description, no exact location — but Tutak didn’t hesitate. She grabbed her gear and rushed to the neighborhood where the call originated, determined to find the animal in need.
When she arrived, however, there was no sign of a cat. She checked yards, listened for cries and scanned the street. Then, as she searched, the front door of a nearby home opened and three young kids stepped outside with their father. They told Tutak they had seen a tiny kitten earlier that day inside a storm drain down the street. Worried no one would notice, they had even written a handmade note to warn neighbors and ask for help.
Following the children’s directions, Tutak walked over to the spot where the note had been left. As soon as she approached the drain, she heard it — faint, echoing meows rising from below. She lifted the heavy manhole cover and looked down into the darkness. There, huddled inside the storm drain, was a tiny calico kitten fighting to be heard.
Across the street, the entire family watched anxiously as Tutak tried to figure out how to rescue the trapped baby.
Because the drain wasn’t safe to climb into, Tutak came up with a creative solution. She tied a rope securely to a soft blanket, lowered it carefully into the opening and hoped the kitten would understand what to do. Miraculously, the little calico did exactly that — she grabbed onto the blanket with all her strength.
“The kitten grabbed on and clutched onto the blanket,” said Lisa Norwood, public relations manager for San Antonio ACS. “And Officer Tutak was able to gently pull her up with the rope.”
Once the kitten was safely out of the drain, Tutak immediately offered her some food, which the starving little one devoured. After checking her for injuries and confirming that she was just hungry and shaken, Tutak invited the children over to meet the kitten they had helped rescue. The kids proudly announced they’d already picked a name for her: Mimi.
Tutak then transported Mimi back to the San Antonio ACS facility, where the tiny kitten was able to rest, warm up and recover from her frightening ordeal. Before long, Mimi’s sweet personality caught the attention of an adopter. Once she’s spayed and medically cleared, she’ll be heading off to her new home.
While the children are grateful Mimi was saved, the staff at San Antonio ACS believe the credit truly belongs to them.
“They’re the ones who spotted an animal in need,” Norwood said. “They’re the heroes.”