Animal rescuers are true heroes. They dedicate their lives to helping animals in distress, often putting themselves in perilous situations fueled by their boundless love.
No matter if an animal is caught in a snowstorm or trapped on a cliff, a rescuer will always find the best way to ensure its safety.
That’s why when a rescuer named John Debacker found out about a fluffy creature stranded on a busy New York City highway, he immediately paused his activities and rushed to the aid of the distressed animal.
After traveling for over thirty minutes, John arrived at the scene, but he was unable to spot the animal at all.
Animal On Road
Upon slowing down his vehicle, John spotted a tiny fluffball lying by the roadside.
“When I arrived, I actually missed him at first. I went slightly past him. Then I looked in my rearview mirror and saw him sitting along the divider,” John Debacker recounted to The Dodo.
John swiftly pulled over and exited his car, moving towards the left lane to get closer to the animal.
As he advanced, John discovered that the unidentifiable creature was a frightened furry cat.
“I didn’t want to have to go around twice and risk the cat running away. Cars were coming at me pretty quickly, but I was kind of waving them to move over,” he noted.
Although John felt anxious, he understood that the little feline was even more frightened, driving him to muster his courage and keep moving forward.
At last, John was face-to-face with the cat, and seeing its terrified expression truly tugged at his heartstrings.
“He was pretty terrified. He wasn’t making any noise, and he wasn’t even moving,” he remarked.
Nerve Wracking Rescue
Now that he knew exactly where the cat was situated, John dashed back to his car and retrieved a net, believing it was the most effective way to capture the frightened feline.
As he walked towards the cat once more, the cat seized the opportunity to flee.
“The cat was actually trying to run along the divider and attempted to get into the sewer. Fortunately, he didn’t fit, so I netted him right there,” he stated.
Fortunately, John managed to catch the cat before it could get into deeper trouble, ultimately bringing it to safety.
Despite the cat’s initial distrust of his rescuer, it soon realized it was in safe hands, enabling it to relax.
“When I first got him, he was hissing and everything. But then I brought him to my apartment, and he turned out to be the sweetest cat,” John remarked.
New Life
John made every effort to determine whether the cat had an owner, but when he found no evidence of a family, he opted to place the cat in foster care while collaborating with his friends to find a loving permanent home for it.
“He went to my friend Kacia Caprariello’s, who fostered him for a few weeks. My other friend, Virginia Scudder, assisted me in finding him a family,” he shared.
Before long, this charming fluffy cat, now named Bell, found a cozy and affectionate forever home, leaving behind the memory of being stranded on a New York highway.
Bell was also spayed and microchipped, ensuring that he would never go missing again.
“He’s living a wonderful life now, thankfully. If he hadn’t been rescued, things would’ve ended very differently,” John concluded.
