One of the most poignant, publicized cat rescuers was a stray calico cat from Brooklyn, who even has a website and a poem written in her honor. In March/April 1996, with her eyes blistered shut, her paws burned and her coat scorched, a cat who was later nicknamed Scarlett for her patches of red fur darted into a flaming abandoned building in Brooklyn and pulled out her kittens, one by one. Once all the kittens had been rescued, Scarlett conducted a head count, touching each kitten with her nose to make sure they were all there. Firefighter David Giannelli, a 17-year veteran with Ladder Company 175 told reporters, "She ran in and out of that building five times, got them all out, and then started moving them one by one across the street." Giannelli found the cat family outside the building and took them to an animal shelter, where the mother and babies received treatment. Three months after her heroic feat, Scarlett and her four surviving babies were not only well, but were adopted in a blaze of publicity. A sad note: on October 15, 2008, Scarlett passed away presumably due to complications of her injuries. Her life and times can be found on her own Wikipedia page.
No comments:
Post a Comment