A cat was safely reunited with its owners after being rescued from the sewer system in the South Park area of Morgantown earlier this week.
The concerned owner of the cat called the Morgantown Utility Board (MUB) when the cat failed to come home after a person in the neighborhood saw the cat being chased and fleeing down a storm drain the previous day, MUB Director of Communications Chris Dale said.
The MUB crew, consisting of Nick Agrio, Hunter Gamble and Ken Willis, setup a tripod safety lift and harness and lowered Gamble into a manhole at the intersection of Lebanon and Dormont streets.
Once at the bottom of the manhole, Gamble found the cat hiding beneath a pipe in a very difficult-to-reach location. The animal was frightened and reluctant to allow Gamble to touch him.
Eventually, Hunter was able to secure the cat and lift it to the top of the manhole without being bitten or scratched.
While these types of rescues are not common, Dale said this was not the first time MUB crews have rescued animals from the sewer system.
“We saved a group of baby ducks some years back,” he said. “They were stuck in a storm drain with heavy rains on the way. We got them out and safely reunited with their very-concerned mother.”
The cat from Monday’s rescue can be considered another lucky duck rescued by MUB, as Dale said the cat was dirty, scared and extremely hungry, but generally looked unharmed.
“The moment the cat reached the top of the manhole it sprinted away, running directly to its house,” he said. “When the owner let the cat in, it dashed for its food tray.”
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