Animal rescuers are a different kind of brave. They give their time, their energy, and sometimes even their own safety to animals that have no one else to rely on.
They walk into situations most people would avoid without a second thought, whether that means bad weather, dangerous ground, or conditions that feel flat-out unsafe.
And still, they go.
That was exactly the kind of moment John Debacker stepped into when he got a call about a tiny, vulnerable animal stranded on a busy highway in New York City.
John was already a seasoned rescuer, and the second he heard what was happening, he did not pause. He headed straight out with one goal in mind, getting there as fast as possible and making sure that little animal made it to safety.
After driving for more than 30 minutes, he finally reached the area.
But when he got there, the animal was nowhere in sight.
A Startling Find
As John slowed down and carefully scanned the area, he finally noticed a small, fuzzy shape near the highway divider.
“When I arrived, I actually missed him at first. I went slightly past him. Then I looked in my rearview mirror and saw him sitting along the divider,” John Debacker told The Dodo.
Quickly pulling over, he stepped out of his vehicle and cautiously walked toward the creature. To his surprise, it wasn’t a small object but a scared, trembling cat.
“I didn’t want to have to go around twice and risk the cat running away. Cars were coming at me pretty quickly, but I was kind of waving them to move over,” he explained.
Though John felt a surge of nervousness, he was driven by the sight of the cat’s fear, which gave him the strength to continue. When he finally reached the small animal, he found it completely still and terrified.
“He was pretty terrified. He wasn’t making any noise, and he wasn’t even moving,” John added.
A Dangerous Rescue
Knowing where the cat was, John rushed back to his car to retrieve a net, the safest way to secure such a frightened animal.
However, when he approached the cat again, it panicked and made a run for it.
“The cat was actually trying to run along the divider and tried to get into the sewer. He didn’t fit, fortunately, so I netted him right there,” John said.
John quickly secured the little creature before it could get into more danger.
At first, the cat didn’t trust him, hissing in fear. But once John got him to his apartment, the once-frightened feline revealed his sweet nature.
“When I first got him, he was hissing and everything. But then I brought him to my apartment, and he turned out to be the sweetest cat,” John recalled.
A Fresh Start
John searched for any signs that the cat had a family but found no clues. He then arranged for the cat to be fostered until a permanent home could be found.
“He went to my friend Kacia Caprariello’s, who fostered him for a few weeks. My other friend, Virginia Scudder, helped me find him a home,” he said.
Soon, the once-helpless kitten, now named Bell, wasin a loving home, far from the dangers of the highway. He was also neutered and microchipped, ensuring he would never face such a situation again.
“He’s living a wonderful life now, thankfully. Had he not been rescued, the outcome would have definitely been different,” John concluded.