IT WAS JUST ANOTHER ROUTINE DAY FOR TWO SANITATION WORKERS AS THEY SLING GARBAGE BAGS INTO THE BACK OF THEIR TRUCK WHEN THEY HEARD A CRY FOR HELP.
William Montero and Jon Kase, New York Department of Sanitation workers, were going about their daily routine last Monday, slinging trash bags into the back of a truck in Queens when they heard a cry for help.
“My initial reaction was, “I hope I’m listening to a toy.” Unfortunately, it wasn’t the case,” said William.
Both workers assumed is a cry from an abandoned animal nearby, and kept hearing the cries, quickly coming to the realization the cries were coming from a bag inside the truck.
After opening a bag to investigate, they found a young kitten, absolutely terrified at the situation he found himself in, begging for help.
Some uncaring individual had placed him inside a waste bag, leaving him to his fate on the pavement. Thanks to the Sanitation workers he had been rescued in the nick of time.
After a thorough search through the truck’s compactor for more abandoned animals, they were relieved to turn up empty-handed.
The kitten was clearly relieved to be rescued but was also clearly still worried too. They tried to place him in a cardboard box for safety to no avail.
“He’s a climber. He couldn’t come with us,” said William.
Although the kitten was still terrified, John chose to hold him on his chest to calm him down, and the technique proved to be highly effective. The little guy gradually revealed his genuine self as he hugged one of his rescuers.
Because John and William are animal enthusiasts, they named the kitten Hopper after the rear of the truck.
They then phoned Noah’s Ark Animal Rescue to inform him of the kitten’s situation, and the shelter quickly chose to assist them by taking in the kitty.
Little Hopper was around 10 weeks old when he arrived at the shelter, and he had an upper respiratory infection. Hopper received the medical attention he required to overcome his health problems and then moved to a wonderful foster home.
The kitten began his recovery in the warmth of his new home, adjacent to a loving family, and is steadily making progress. Hopper is on his path to complete recovery thanks to the efforts of sanitation staff and rescue center volunteers.
“We simply did what I hope every regular human being does,” goes onto say.
The staff decided to pay Hopper a visit and bring him a bed and things to keep him comfortable until they could find him a forever home.
