Sometimes a story comes along that enthralls a community, and encapsulates the good of humankind. That story happened Monday in Hastings, when the community became glued to a rather unusual animal rescue in downtown Hastings.
It all started on Friday night when an individual reported what they thought to be panicked meowing somewhere on the Hastings Bridge. The report went viral Saturday morning and many concerned residents went to check, but ultimately weren’t able to locate a stranded cat.
However, the kitten would soon be located, and employees of Quarry Taphouse began taking care of it. The kitten was stranded in the deicing vents that run underneath the bridge, and would occasionally peer its head out of a hole at the end, but due to the minuscule size of the hole, the kitten could not free itself. Taphouse employees began working to try and free the kitten, reportedly asking to remove one of the panels of the deicing vents to try and lure the kitten out. But as the bridge is a state property and not a city property, MNDOT would need to come and consult. And that they did, sending three representatives out to ensure that the panel could safely be removed. A City of Hastings employee arrived in a bucket truck and a team effort began to remove the panel. After about 15 minutes of work, the panel was removed, and using food and other procedures, the cat was lured to the opening, where it was then safely rescued.
The kitten was transferred to a vet for observation.
We’ll have more on this heartwarming story.