A ginger cat that was stuck in the highest tree in its neighbourhood for approximately 16 hours after a recent thunderstorm, became an instant celebrity when the Nelson Mandela Bay fire department sent not one, but two fire engines with super long ladders and a crane to come to his rescue.
Loud cheers erupted from the huge crowd watching from the ground when the fire department’s Lionel Pike, with assistance from a colleague, managed to get Dobbie from the top of the tree in Parkside.
Many were taking videos and pictures of the rescue and it was even posted on social media and shared by the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality.
Dobbie’s owner, Saajidah Cerfontein, said that she suspects Dobbie got spooked by a thunderstorm the previous night and ventured too high up into the tree, that is taller than a three-storey building, making it impossible for him to get down.
Dobbie was stuck at the top of the tree from approximately 19:00 the Sunday evening until 11:30 the Monday morning.
“I called the fire department the first time on Sunday at around 21:00 after we couldn’t get him down. They came around 21:30 but left, as the ladder they had was not long enough,” Cerfontein explained.
“They promised to get [the] Parks [Department] to assist. On Monday morning I called them again and they promised to come out again, which they did.
“Again they were not able to get him down. They promised to get another truck with a longer ladder and then they arrived with two fire engines. This second fire engine had an enormous crane with a basket and Mr Lionel Pike and another gentleman went up to get him. It took them about half-an-hour,” she said.
Cerfontein added that six-month-old Dobbie was very tired, traumatised and hungry after his ordeal.
“It was very traumatic for all of us. Dobbie had a very traumatic start in life when he was abandoned at a few days old and stuck in our basement, in a cavity between two walls.
“He was stuck there for two days until we figured out where he was stuck. My husband had to break out bricks in the wall to rescue him. We bottle-fed him until he was strong enough and he has been a part of the family ever since,” she said.
“Out of four he is our special one. He loves cuddles, loves my bed and is actually not an outdoor cat so this incident has never happened before.”
When asked what Dobbie did after his dramatic rescue, Cerfontein answered: “He slept for ages and we just spoilt him.”
She also extended her gratitude to the fire department for saving her Dobbie.
