- Local
- Community
- Journalism
Support the independent voice of Phoenix and help keep the future of New Times free.
Breaking news, guys.
After three harrowing days spent mewing for help, a cat stuck atop a Phoenix power pole has been rescued.
Well, actually, the Salt River Project employee dispatched to rescue it scared it — so it ran down the pole on its own, said Kathleen Mascarenas, an SRP media relations representative. It then ran off into an alley and onto what we will assume is a happy life.
The power company typically gets between four and five calls about stranded cats a year, she said, but usually doesn't send out a cherry-picker. Instead, it advises concerned residents to make the bottom of the pole as "cat friendly" as possible by trying to entice it to come down with a bowl of milk or a snack.
"If the cat crawled its way up there, it can crawl its way down," she said.
Naturally, though, when news of the cat's plight broke, the Internet was shocked and appalled.
@abc15 omg somebody please help this cat! , that's sad :(
— Benny (@StormHunter401) December 29, 2015
Someone suggested calling in the fire department. (Just a few days ago the team managed to rescue a cat from a chimney, after all). Then, there was a tense moment when it was discovered the kitty was in SRP territory and ABC 15 reported that "SRP is NOT committing to make contact with the cat."
@abc15 Poor kitty! Looks like that pole is in @srpconnect territory. Hope kitty gets down safely & soon.
— APS (@apsFYI) December 29, 2015
So the Internet piled the guilt on the SRP.
@abc15 @apsFYI @SRPconnect Lame. Just let it starve up there and suffer. It's not hard to get a bucket, grab it, let it down.
— KC Masterpiece (@KCBrackley) December 29, 2015
@abc15 @apsFYI @SRPconnect Save the kitty! Bad for PR if you don't!
— joyce gustafson (@heights07) December 29, 2015
@abc15 @SRPconnect please help this cat!!!
— CoyotesHockeyJunkie (@zooten4) December 29, 2015
And SRP dispatched someone to the location.
Happy to report this cat that was stuck on a power pole, scrambled down on its own today when our crews went to help https://t.co/3By3oJMgkI
— Salt River Project (@SRPconnect) December 29, 2015
Hooray!
Keep Phoenix New Times Free... Since we started Phoenix New Times, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Phoenix, and we would like to keep it that way. Offering our readers free access to incisive coverage of local news, food and culture. Producing stories on everything from political scandals to the hottest new bands, with gutsy reporting, stylish writing, and staffers who've won everything from the Society of Professional Journalists' Sigma Delta Chi feature-writing award to the Casey Medal for Meritorious Journalism. But with local journalism's existence under siege and advertising revenue setbacks having a larger impact, it is important now more than ever for us to rally support behind funding our local journalism. You can help by participating in our "I Support" membership program, allowing us to keep covering Phoenix with no paywalls.