News Flash

MUSCATINE, Iowa – After a lot of brainstorming, a kitten trapped 20 feet below the surface was successfully rescued by Muscatine’s Animal Control Officer and staff from the City of Muscatine Sewer Department.

“It was a team effort to not only locate the kitten in the underground pipes but to also devise a plan to lift the kitten out to safety,” Courtney Patel, Animal Control Officer said.

A citizen walking by the HNI Manufacturing plant on East 5th Street heard the cries from the kitten coming through a pipe going underground, and notified the Muscatine Police. Patel was the first on the scene and quickly assessed that she needed more assistance.

Four staff members from the Muscatine Sewer Department responded to the call for help including Sewer Maintenance Supervisor Zack Etzel and equipment operators Jorge Laza, Chip Calcott, and Eric Evens.

The crew brought a camera used to take videos of the underground sewer pipes and fed it down the pipe to wear the kitten was located about 20 feet below the surface on an elbow of the drain. Once located, the next objective was to come up with a plan to coerce the kitten back up the pipe to the surface.

After much discussion, a platform was made out of duct tape and attached to a string that was lowered down to the kitten’s location. Once the platform was moved underneath the kitten, the kitten was gently pulled up to the surface.

“After spending about 45 minutes trying to retrieve the kitten, they were able to pull the kitten out,” Patel said. “Without the teamwork between all departments I’m not sure what the outcome for the cat would have been. He was scared but was taken to the humane center for top notch care.”

Etzel was also appreciative of the team effort.

“Thank you to Muscatine Animal Control and Muscatine Police Department for their help,” Etzel said. “Everyone was eager to lend a helping hand to rescue the cat. It is great to see multiple departments working together for a common goal.”