A 14-week-old kitten, described as weepy and wounded, received a second chance at life after being rescued from a busy San Francisco freeway by animal control officers. The kitten was discovered cowering by the side of the road on Tuesday.
"The kitten was lying on the freeway, not moving, in the hot sun," said Deb Campbell of San Francisco Animal Care and Control (SFACC). "Officer Shane Jolley stopped traffic himself and Officer Bri Borg was able to get out and rescue the kitten." Campbell added that the kitten was "lucky" to have been found.
The gray and white Domestic Shorthair kitten, weighing approximately 2.80 pounds, was found with wounds all over its body and is presumed to have a fractured leg or pelvis. "He's not walking well on his leg," Campbell stated.
SFACC officers responded to an emergency call reporting the kitten lying on its side near San Jose Avenue. "Someone driving by reported seeing him in the sun, on his side, against the white barrier. Animal control officers rushed to the scene," the agency wrote in a social media post.
While the exact circumstances of how the kitten ended up on the freeway are unknown, SFACC speculates that the animal may have run onto the road and become trapped by traffic. The kitten's veterinary team has administered antibiotics for its wounds and scheduled X-rays for Wednesday to determine the extent of its injuries and plan the next steps for recovery.
The kitten is currently resting comfortably, and SFACC is hopeful for its swift recovery. "The kitten could go up for adoption, or could go to a foster home, or he could be transferred to a rescue partner. It'll depend on his condition," Campbell said. "Everyday holds something different. This is one of these things that's all in a day's work for us."
SFACC is the only open-admission shelter in the city, accepting all species, including thousands of cats, dogs, and other animals annually. Its mission includes accepting all injured, orphaned, unwanted, lost, abandoned, abused, and neglected animals, as well as companion animals, farm animals, birds, reptiles, fish, exotic animals, and native wildlife.