Shelter Stories

Salvaged
Kittens Saved by Safety Harbor Fire Station #53

The 35 foot boat, the "Rose Mary's Thyme", had set in storage for quite some time. On October 28, 2009 the boat owner decided to take her to a salvage yard. As he was hooking up the boat and trailer, he noticed an adult cat jump from the inside the boat and run off. A short time later, he heard a faint meow and found a young oil-covered kitten in the boat. He caught the oily kitten but was concerned more kittens were hiding in the boat, and would suffer a horrible fate at the salvage yard.

The owner decided to stop by Safety Harbor Fire Station #53 and relate the story to the firefighters on duty to see if they could be of assistance. The firefighters searched for about 20 minutes, but were unable to locate any kittens. They explained there were too many hiding places and they would not be able to anything without "cutting" into the boat. Since the boat was going to the salvage yard anyway, the owner readily agreed.

The firefighters used a thermal imager camera, a heat seeking device, to locate a single kitten hiding in the boat. Once located, they used a Sawzall, a reciprocating saw, to carefully cut through the floor and wall of the boat. Forty minutes later, another oil-laden kitten was found. At last, the two kittens mom so hurriedly left behind, were saved from a terrible fate at the salvage yard.

The kittens then received a warm, soapy bath to remove the oil, which was followed by some good food and a trip to Firefighter Warkenthien's home where they were cared for by her two children, Casey and Andrew. After a lengthy stay with her two children and the family's two Newfoundlands, the kittens, "Rosemary" and "Tank", were taken to the Suncoast Animal League where they were examined, vaccinated, microchipped, spayed and neutered, and then placed for adoption.

But, there was one complication. Andrew, the younger of the two children, cried his eyes out when he had to give up Tank (pictured on the right). Every night, Andrew prayed that Tank would be well taken care of and find a "really good home." That's when Andrew's mother, Holly, got the idea that maybe that "really good home" was theirs. So she adopted Tank and he was kept in a foster home until he was picked up by the Warkenthiens right before Christmas. His sister "Rosemary" was adopted the very first day she was available.

Suncoast Animal League would like to thank Safety Harbor Fire Station #53 "C" Shift: FF Hart, FF Warkenthien, FF Pounds, FF Free, FF Little, FF Hans and Chief Accetta for saving the lives of two little kittens. They are all heroes in our book!

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