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The word hero may be overused these days but for many people, anyone that puts themselves at risk of injury or goes the extra mile to ensure that animals are well looked after is worthy of praise and positive attention. This is the story surrounding a tree surgeon in Portadown who ensured that a cat was rescued after it had been stuck in a tree in People’s Park for a number of days. There are many reasons why cats bound up trees with great glee and excitement but there are also numerous reasons as to why a cat will get up there and then find themselves unable to get back down.
A resident had noticed that the cat had been stuck in the tree for a number of days and even though a number of people had attempted to entice the cat down, the feline remained in its lofty position. The resident contacted the NI Fire and Rescue Service only to be told that rescuing cats was no longer within the remit of the organisation. There is an argument to be said that the funding provided to the organisation should be put to better use than rescuing animals but there will be many people who disagree with this, saying that limited funds should be kept for emergencies and more pressing matters.
A nearby river added to the concern
A significant issue regarding the cat was the fact that the tree was located very close to the river, with a branch dangling out over the water. The branch was located far too high for most people to reach it and the resident issued a plea for help online. After a few days, a tree surgeon came across the request and decided that this was something within their remit and scope to help. Peter Boyd saw the post on Facebook and decided that the Easter period was a bit too dull for his liking, deciding to act and save the cat.
The tree surgeon completed his shift during the day as normal and then made his way to Portadown, arriving very late in the evening. With very little light and howling rain, you would be forgiven for thinking that most professionals would have left the work until the morning, but the tree surgeon decided that as he was on the premises, it was best just to get on with the job. Peter Body rigged up the required ropes and harnesses and then set up climbing the tree and coaxing the cat back down.
One final hitch before the mission was completed
Thankfully, the process went well, although there was a slight hitch on the descent. Peter got tangled in the ropes slightly, and the cat decided to venture off onto another branch. This branch was much closer to the ground and the cat managed to complete the journey back to the ground of its own accord, completing the safety mission to resident’s relief.
This isn’t your standard day at the office for a tree surgeon, but it is an issue that comes up regularly. You’ll also find that as more fire services stop providing this service, it will become an area of work for more tree surgeons.