A 14-week-old kitten sustained multiple wounds and a possible fractured leg or pelvis after being found on the side of a busy freeway in San Francisco. Animal Care and Control officers responded to an emergency call Tuesday after a passerby reported seeing the kitten lying on his side near San Jose Avenue, according to the agency.
"The kitten was lying on the freeway, not moving, in the hot sun," said Deb Campbell of 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 is "lucky."
The gray and white Domestic Shorthair kitten, weighing approximately 2.80 pounds, is believed to be 14 weeks old. Veterinary staff have administered antibiotics for the wounds and scheduled the kitten for X-rays on Wednesday to determine the extent of his injuries and plan his recovery.
Officials are unsure how the kitten ended up on the freeway but speculate he may have run onto the road and become trapped by traffic. He is currently resting comfortably.
SFACC, the city's only open-admission shelter, takes in thousands of animals annually. The kitten's future placement, whether in an adoptive home, a foster family, or with a rescue partner, will depend on his recovery progress.
