Sunday July 18, 2010 a call came into the Adoption Center. A woman, Rachel, was taking her two dogs for a walk Sunday afternoon around 1:30 p.m. down the road from her house in a  field.  As she was heading back to the vehicle after the walk, her one dog stopped to sniff and just would not budge from the spot.  As she was standing there, she heard a noise coming from the woods like crying.  She thought it was some kind of bird since it was coming from the trees.  When she looked up, she couldn’t believe her eyes. She saw these two young cats in one tree and another young cat on a tree limb up about 35 feet just crying its heart out.  She quickly drove home and called the State Police and they told her to call Critter Catchers, who in turn told her to call Forgotten Felines and Fidos.  She was very happy when someone answered the phone at the adoption center since it was Sunday afternoon around 2:00 p.m.   She spoke with Stephanie and she agreed to meet her at the field.  Not having any idea as to what the situation was, we were on our way to assess it. Before we left we called our treasurer Carm, who lives in the area, to meet us at the location to see what we could d. When we arrived we heard them crying. Rachel pointed them out in the trees. The kittens who had flea collars on must have been dropped off in the park.  Whoever dropped them  must have thought that they could fend for themselves. That wasn’t the case. They had been chased up the tree by a dog or other animal.  As we approached the tree we notice one kitten that was at the base of the tree so we slowly approached her and without any problem picked her up, one down three to go.  The other two boys were only about 12 ft. up in the tree on top of each other. We tried to coax the cats down with food to no avail. The situation was not getting better because the heat and  stress were starting to take its toll on these young cats, especially the one 35 feet up on a tree limb that was swaying.                                Carm arrived to check out the situation and went back home to try and find some help. In the meantime we were on the phone with Sue at the shelter to see if she had any ideas on who to call for help. She gave us a number for the Humane Society so, Steph went to Carm’s house to give him the number to call. When he did there was no answer so he had made numerous phone calls with not getting any help until he called Channel 69 News who gave him the dispatch number for the Lower Macungie Fire Department. 

Don O’Leary Safety officer from the Lower Macungie Fire Department had arrived and right behind him was Jim Van Wert-Assistant chief, John Bergstresser -Fire Police, Engine 30-12 with Bill Andrews-Operator/Engineer, and firemen Ryan Pankoe and Matt Dahms, Tower 30-31 with Scott Schneider who operated the tower and basket and firemen Gabe McNabb and Pat O’Leary to the rescue. They suited up got a ladder and Ryan Pankoe rescued the two boys in the lower tree. Three down one to go. Now it was the black kittens turn, not as easy. That required the big tower truck that held Pat O’Leary and Gabe McNabb.

As Scott Schneider operated the turn table and everyone on the ground helped guide them into the trees to rescue her. We started to get worried that all the noise of the trucks and the limbs braking would scare the little girl and she would climb higher or worse she would jump, but that wasn’t the case. As they got closer she started crying  as if to say “thank you for saving me.” Gabe McNabb - Operated the tower from the basket position
while moving in to perform rescue and Pat O'Leary working from the elevated platform lifted her from the tree. As she sat in the arms of her rescuer they were lowered to the ground were she was united with her sister and brothers.

After the reunion and our many thank you’s to the Lower Macungie fire Department we brought the kittens back to be checked out. They were infested with fleas (so much for the worthless flea collars they had on) so we removed the flea collars and treated them with Advantage. We set up a cage with fresh food, lots of water and a soft blanket. The kittens had dinner and fell fast asleep. After the 10 day waiting period was up and no one clamed them they went up for adoption.  In honor of the Lower Macungie Fire Department the kittens were named after the initials of the department – Lowell, Mac, Francesca and Destiny. We can’t thank them enough for everything they did for these sweet kittens. A million thank you’s. Lowell, Mac, Francesca and Destiny also would like to say thank you to Benson, Rachel’s dog, who had to stop and sniff. She would have never heard their crying plea for help. Benson is a hero for making her stop right at the spot where there was trouble in the trees.