The tiny kitten spent ‘at least’ three days in the sewage system and ‘would have perished’ without help
One of the RSCPA ‘rescues of the year’ began in a Handsworth sewer (Image: RSPCA)
A ‘terrified’ kitten was rescued from a Birmingham sewer thanks to help from the RSPCA and her cries for help.
In Handsworth, RSPCA animal rescue officer Cara Gibbon responded to the call alongside RSPCA inspector Boris Lasserre.
The kitten had spent ‘at least’ three days trapped in the sewage system alone before rescuers arrived in October.
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Both donned dry suits for the mission and Cara spoke about the story behind the ‘fantastic rescue’.
She said: “This tiny little kitten was in a real fix and there was no way she could have got herself out without help.
Cara Gibbon with kitten Olivia Twist(Image: RSPCA)
“She was trapped down a sewage flow system and we think she must have fallen from quite a height above as there was no other way she could have got herself in there.
“We know she had been in there for at least three days, and with no mum around, she must have been terrified.
“We attended following a call for assistance from the fire service who were unable to rescue her as she kept going into the tunnel.
“We tried for hours until it was too dark before returning the next morning. She appeared to remember us.
“She was running towards us and calling out for help but was too scared to come to us.
“Thankfully, she went into the trap we’d set and we managed to get her to safety.
“It was a fantastic rescue as she almost certainly would have perished if she wasn’t so loud in the tunnel which alerted a passerby to her plight!”
The kitten, named Olivia Twist by rescuers, was taken to RSPCA Birmingham Animal Hospital for a health check before being transferred to the team at the RSPCA Worcester Branch animal centre where she was rehomed.
Olivia’s story was featured among top RSPCA rescues of the year, which also included a falcon stuck in a Birmingham net.
RSPCA superintendent Simon Osborne said: “Every single day throughout the year, our teams rescue, rehabilitate and rehome hundreds of animals with very special backgrounds and stories of triumph over adversity.
“For more than 200 years, the RSPCA has been working tirelessly to bring animals to safety and give them the expert treatment and compassion they deserve – but we can’t do that without the support of fellow animal lovers.
“If you care about animals, it’s time to turn that care into action. Help rescue, heal and protect suffering animals by joining The Big Give Back to Animals to help them live the lives they deserve.”