QUEENS, NY — Quick-thinking sanitation workers rescued a 10-week-old kitten from certain death Monday after discovering the tiny feline trapped in a trash bag moments before it was set to be crushed in their garbage truck’s compactor.
William Montero, 40, and John Kase, 52, were on their regular route in Queens when they heard faint meowing coming from a pile of trash bags. At first, Montero hoped the sound was just a toy—but a second cry confirmed their fears.
“We picked up a couple more bags, and sure enough, there was a kitten inside,” Montero told the New York Daily News.
The orange tabby, now named Hopper after the truck’s compactor hopper, was seconds away from being crushed by the machine’s 2,200-PSI piston—a force strong enough to “break bowling balls,” Kase said.
A Narrow Escape
After rescuing Hopper, the workers searched the remaining trash to ensure no other animals were trapped. Kase then cradled the frightened kitten—who refused to stay in a cardboard box—while finishing his route. A supervisor later transported Hopper to Noah’s Ark Animal Rescue for medical care.
A veterinary exam revealed the kitten was suffering from upper respiratory and eye infections, but he is expected to recover. Denise Hock, founder of Noah’s Ark, condemned the act of abandoning pets in such a cruel manner.
“What goes through someone’s mind to tie a cat in a bag and kill it?” Hock said. “If you don’t want it, call someone. Take it to a precinct. There are so many shelters. This was senseless and horrible.”
Hopper will be rehabilitated before being placed in a permanent home. Meanwhile, Montero and Kase have earned praise for their lifesaving vigilance—proving that heroes sometimes wear sanitation uniforms.
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