Chandler, AZ — A 10-week-old kitten is recovering after a dramatic rescue from a flooded 20-foot storm drain in Chandler, Arizona. The Arizona Humane Society (AHS) and the Chandler Fire Department teamed up to save the stranded feline, now named Augustus Gloop.
According to an AHS press release, the kitten was first spotted in an empty drain but was soon struggling against rising irrigation water by the time AHS Emergency Animal Medical Technicians (EAMTs) Julie Bolchalk and Ruthie Jesus arrived.
“They followed his cries but couldn’t access his section of the drain with their equipment,” AHS stated.
The Chandler Fire Department arrived with a hydraulic tool to force open the drain’s bolts, allowing the team to pull Augustus Gloop to safety.
Exhausted and hypothermic, the kitten was immediately given veterinary care. Despite his ordeal, he eagerly ate wet food before being transported to AHS’ Second Chance Animal Trauma Hospital. Veterinarians later confirmed he had torn and bleeding nails but was otherwise in good health.
Augustus Gloop is now recuperating in an AHS Foster Hero home. The EAMTs involved in his rescue are part of a program that saved over 6,000 abused, abandoned, and injured animals in 2024 alone.
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