NATURAL BRIDGE – A curious cat got more than it bargained for after it got stuck in a tree on a branch 30 feet off the ground. Thankfully, the local fire department still makes cat rescues, which is now uncommon among other rescue organizations.
The Glasgow Volunteer Fire Department was called out to Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Campground in Natural Bridge. Firefighters got out their ladder truck and sent firefighter Sheldon Snead up the ladder. He says he is no stranger to heights, but this was the first time he had been sent up to rescue a cat.
His body camera video shows him climbing to the top, reaching out and pulling the small feline to safety from the branch it was clinging to. With the cat tucked under his arm, Snead carried it back down to safety.
People in the area said the cat had been up there for several hours meowing. Fire Chief John Hill said although it’s uncommon, he believes offering this service not only protects the cat, but also protects people from trying to make these dangerous rescues themselves.
“Every life matters,” Hill said. “Even the small ones.”
They are one of the few departments left that make these types of rescues. It’s unclear if the cat has an owner. It is doing well and is now being cared for by someone in the area.