STANISLAUS COUNTY, Calif. — A stranded cat is safe today thanks to a skilled tree climber and a dedicated animal rescue effort on the campus of Stanislaus State University.
The cat, named Willow, found herself trapped high in a tree—roughly 60 feet off the ground. Fortunately, Dauki Willburn was ready to help. A trained tree climber and animal rescuer, Willburn has been retrieving cats from trees since 2019.
“This rescue was different,” Willburn said. “It was on a university campus. Most of the rescues I’ve done were at people’s homes.”
Willow is part of the university’s AdvoCATS program, which meant Willburn needed special permission before attempting the rescue. It took four days to complete the process. First, it took time for word to reach him. Then, the university had to grant clearance.
Once approved, Willburn and his girlfriend arrived at the scene. They inspected their gear and mapped the safest way up the tree. He moved carefully, both for his safety and to avoid scaring Willow.
“Cats don’t know if I’m a friend or a threat,” Willburn explained. “My job is to reassure them. After all the prep, I don’t want to ruin it by rushing.”
Though cats often panic during rescues, Willow remained calm. “She was like, ‘Hey, you can come over. I’m ready,’” he said.
For the first time, Willburn used a donated cat carrier for the descent. It helped secure Willow and made for a smooth return to the ground.
Willow’s rescue marked Willburn’s 125th successful cat retrieval. He still remembers his first. “When I came down, I saw the parents cry. The kids were in tears. They had their cat back. I’d never done anything like it before,” he recalled.
Now, Willburn hopes to grow his rescue mission. He recently launched a nonprofit called Volunteer Animal Retrieval Specialists. The group aims to expand services and offer training workshops.
“I’m just one person. But if I can build a network of tree climbers who want to help, we could do more,” Willburn said.
Willow is now safe, and thanks to Willburn’s steady hands and big heart, many more cats may have a second chance too.
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