LAS VEGAS, Nev. (KVVU/Gray News) – A kitten stuck for weeks on an overpass in Las Vegas was finally rescued last week.
On Wednesday, rescuers came together to launch an operation with a forklift to retrieve the kitten from an overpass off 16th Street and Great Basin Highway near the downtown area.
The cat was named Helix after the people who rescued him.
Until the rescue, the kitten was trapped on the overpass for at least three weeks.
The rescue group Amor Peludo saw a post on Facebook and immediately started coordinating the rescue.
They called Lizzie Fuchs, who called her father, Victor Fuchs, the President and CEO of Helix Electric.
“As soon as they called me, I drove myself over there,” Lizzie Fuchs said. “I dropped everything because I was like, ‘I’ve got to see this cat that’s on top of this overpass and maybe be prepared to catch him if he falls.’”
Helix Electric rushed to the rescue, using a boom lift and two nets to trap the kitten and lower him down to safety.
“It was amazing. Yeah, I’ve never been part of a cat rescue,” Troy McTeer, Division Manager for Helix Electric, said. “Just dropped everything else going on and went and got me a kitty.”
Lizzie Fuchs said nearby residents have tried calling people and getting them to rescue the kitten for weeks, but the cat would always run away.
“So, all the neighbors came out, and the moms were crying because finally this kitten has been brought down,” she said.
Dr. Morgan Spaulding at Boca Park Animal Hospital said when she got the call about Helix, she was prepared for the worst.
“Especially on the side of the freeway, often you see pelvic fractures, respiratory difficulties. You kind of expected a hit-by-car situation, but he was one of the lucky ones for sure,” she said.
Helix was taken to Boca Park Animal Hospital. Dr. Spaulding said despite his time on the streets, he’s in pretty good condition.
“He was dehydrated, he’s very thin, but overall, I think he’s a pretty tough guy,” she said.
“For us to succeed today, it feels so good, and now this cat can have a forever home,” Lizzie Fuchs said.
Helix may have already found a forever home. Toby from Helix Electric, who helped with the rescue, said he may adopt the cat himself, he just has to convince his wife.
“I am proud that Helix Electric could play a role in saving a life today. I am especially proud of our employees who played a large part in this rescue. We wish Helix the Cat a speedy recovery,” Victor Fuchs said in a statement.
Lizzie Fuchs said they plan to go back and look for more kittens in need of homes.
“Since the kitten is only about nine or 10 weeks old, that means that there are more kittens around that area, so we are going to go back and try to trap the rest of the family and also get them safe and potentially in forever homes also,” she said.
To learn more about Amor Peludo Animal Rescue, click here.
They also partner with Barkmerica to cover medical bills for rescue animals, like Helix.
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