Fire crew rescues cat and his OWNER from a tree after the man became trapped in the branches while trying to retrieve the fleeing feline
- South Burlington Fire Department received a 911 call from a man trapped in a tree on Christmas Eve
- He claimed he had made his way up into the branches to rescue his cat but became stuck himself
- Three firefighters managed to successfully retrieve both the man and his feline following a lengthy rescue operation
A Vermont fire crew found themselves responding to an unusual call on Christmas Eve after a man became trapped in a tree whilst trying to rescue his cat.
Members from the South Burlington Fire Department rushed to the scene late Tuesday in response to a call from the feline’s owner who was lodged high up in the branches.
He explained that his beloved kitty, Cayenne, escaped the confines of his home before darting up the trunk of the tree.
Without thinking, the owner climbed up the branches to retrieve the feline, but quickly became stuck himself.
Thankfully, three members of Ladder 1 managed to retrieve both Cayenne and his owner by erecting a large firefighter’s ladder and escorting them down to safety.
South Burlington Fire Department shared snaps of the incident, and added a hilarious Christmas-themed poem to explain the situation.
Members from the South Burlington Fire Department rescued a man and his pet, Cayenne, on Tuesday night after they became stuck up in a tree
Cayenne escaped the house during the holiday festivities before it darted up into the tree
‘Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house. Not a creature was stirring… until Cayenne left the house! He ran across the lawn and up into a tree, with no one else to call, his owners called SBFD,’ the department riffed.
Despite finding humor in the situation, the department went on to share tips with local residents.
While it’s commonly believed that firefighters often fetch felines stuck in trees, the South Burlington Fire Department clarified that they rarely respond to such incidents.
They wrote: ‘We do not normally remove cats out of trees for a few reasons: More often than not, if a cat has climbed up a tree, it will find its way back down in a few hours. Try leaving food at the bottom of the tree.
One of the firefighters is pictured bringing Cayenne down to safety
‘When Ladder 1 is set up at a cat rescue, it makes it unavailable for other calls that may come in. This means that only one fire truck is available to respond to a fire in the city at that point.’
The department added: ‘Placing our firefighters on a ladder of any type is a dangerous operation and comes with many risks. While we love our furry friends a lot, it is never worth risking injury or death for one.’
They also advised owners against chasing after their animals, saying it is better to contact a tree company or give the cat 24 hours to ‘self rescue’.
The Department shared a hilarious poem about the Christmas Eve incident inspired by The Night Before Christmas