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We all know that being a tree surgeon is a dangerous job. If you don’t have a head for heights, this isn’t the sort of work you should consider and there is a lot of powerful equipment. If you are not competent or confident in working with the high-powered saws or cutting devices associated with the job, it probably isn’t a role for you. That is okay, being a tree surgeon isn’t a job that is cut out for everyone, but it is vital that people are aware of the issues that can arise with the role.
An extreme example of the danger that some tree surgeons face was highlighted in Dorset recently. A tree surgeon scaled a 50 ft oak tree in Poole to rescue a cat. The cat had been stuck in the tree for three days without any food or water. The cat’s owner was rightly concerned, and they posted on Facebook to get help to rescue their cat.
Tree surgeons respond when people need assistance
Joseph Lines is a tree surgeon and he responded to the message. After speaking with the owners, the tree surgeon made his way up the tree whereupon he was attacked by the frightened cat. It is perhaps understandable that the cat would be disorientated and not in the best frame of mind when a rescue attempt was carried out but that doesn’t make things any easier for the tree surgeon who was attacked by the cat.
People observing from the ground heard yells of pain and after the cat bit the tree surgeon it transpired that Joseph Lines had to spend five days in hospital. This is because the cat bite became infected. The cat, even though it was being rescued, scratched and spat at the tree surgeon, with these attacks being captured on the Go Pro camera that the professional was wearing.
A hospital stay can ruin a business
The tree surgeon was admitted to hospital in Poole where he was placed on intravenous antibiotics for five days. Joseph spoke to local press after his ordeal saying; “The cat was scratching and biting my arm, she bit right into it. It was diagnosed as cellulitis, they had to put me on IV antibiotics.”
Even though it was a terrible ordeal, the tree surgeon has said that this will not prevent him from rescuing more cats as and when the need arises, but he has said that he will wear better protection the next time he carries out this style of work. There is no denying that out of all the dangers that the tree surgeon expected to face with this task, being placed in hospital because of a cat attack was probably one of the least likely outcomes.
Joseph has taken the attack in his stride, justifying the cat’s actions because he was scared. This was during the heatwave so going three days without food or water would have been an ordeal for the animal, which in some way would have led to the cat lashing out even though it was being rescued at the time.