We realized just how much a part of the family our pets are when our one-year-old cat Bella got herself stuck in a tree, 70 feet up, for four days recently.
Our family was sick with helplessness as we heard her desperate meows for help. This scary situation did remind us though just how wonderful people can be. Friends, family and neighbours offered advice and assistance on getting her down and calmed the kids (okay, maybe I mean me).
We’re thankful to the Parksville Volunteer Fire Department for its concern and willingness to help. But she picked the wrong tree in the wrong location and there was just no way to get to her with any imaginable ladder.
On the fourth day, we started getting concerned about her health when the vet confirmed dehydration was a concern — because falling, predators and freezing temperatures weren’t scary enough.
Thanks to Bellevue Veterinary Clinic for their sympathetic concern and attempts to find help. However, the big hero of this story is Hud Elgood and his crew from Branching Out Urban Forestry.
When I called Hud he was working in Nanaimo, but he didn’t even hesitate to offer assistance at the end of their workday. We weren’t sure this tree could even be climbed, but Hud made a dramatic rescue look easy.
Without accepting more then a thank-you, Hud and his guys left to drive to Tofino for another job.
I’m not sure that he’ll ever realize just how much his help meant to us but he deserves our heartfelt thanks. For anyone else that finds themselves with a cat stuck in a tree check out www.catinatreerescue.com it was a life saver for us — literally.
Tina Coles
Parksville
