A fearless feline from Seattle turned a life-threatening ordeal into a quirky claim to fame after surviving a harrowing 45-foot fall into a storm drain. Rafa, a Siberian mix, embarked on an unexpected adventure when he slipped out the front door while his owner, Susan, carried pizza boxes inside. What followed was a dramatic rescue and a nationally recognized “honor” for the most unusual pet mishap of the year.
A Frigid Ordeal Underground
Rafa’s owners, Jose and Susan, noticed their cat’s disappearance after an unusual silence fell over their home. The next morning, Susan heard faint meows emanating from a nearby storm drain. Emergency responders, including firefighters, Seattle Public Utilities staff, and Roto-Rooter workers, rushed to the scene. They discovered Rafa trapped in a sloping drainpipe, half-submerged in freezing water, with an incoming storm threatening to flood the pipe further.
The rescue team worked for hours to cut through blackberry bushes, dig up the pipe, and carefully break it open. Finally, soaked and hypothermic, Rafa was lifted to safety and rushed to an emergency vet. Diagnosed with severe hypothermia, he spent a week in the ICU before making a full recovery. “He’s back to his energetic self, like nothing happened,” Susan said.
The Hambone Award: A Quirky Honor for a Wild Tale
Rafa’s ordeal caught the attention of Nationwide pet insurance, which named him the 2024 recipient of the Hambone Award. Given to the “most peculiar pet insurance claim,” the award is voted on by the public and comes with a $1,000 gift card, a $1,000 donation to a pet charity, and a ham-shaped trophy.
He beat out 12 quirky competitors, including:
- An orange cat coated in spray foam insulation
- A mini Australian shepherd stung by a jellyfish-like creature
- A Doberman pinscher injured in a raccoon fight
- A Siamese mix accidentally dried in a clothes dryer
Second place went to Russell, a California dog who cracked his teeth falling on concrete, and third to Rex, a Michigan Shih Tzu who choked on a wishbone. All nominees fully recovered, showcasing the resilience of pets (and the creativity of their mishaps).
A Lesson in Pet Safety—and Humor
While Rafa’s story has a happy ending, it highlights the importance of pet supervision, especially near storm drains and other hazards. “We’re just grateful he’s okay,” Jose said. “And now he’s a local celebrity with a very strange trophy.”
Nationwide’s Hambone Award not only celebrates wild pet stories but also raises awareness for pet insurance and emergency preparedness. As for Rafa, he’s back to his adventurous self—though his owners now keep a closer eye on the front door.
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