JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Concerning cellphone video of someone passing pillows and fast food to a person in a storm drain on a busy Jacksonville street captured what turned out to be a kitten rescue in progress, News4JAX has learned.
The storm drain at the corner of Normandy Boulevard and Fouraker Road, which is a high-traffic intersection, was the site of a 10-day effort to rescue a tiny kitten, according to a woman who says she was the person captured on video inside the storm drain.
Knowing the city experienced recent rainfall that could have collected inside the drain, News4JAX contacted the city’s Public Works Department and provided them with a copy of the video to ensure the safety of those involved.
Rachel Padgett was on her way to work at Popeye’s across the street and noticed a strange noise coming from the drain.
“I heard it crying, and I couldn’t get it out, so when she stopped to help me, she helped me lift it up, and she got down in there, and we were feeding her food and stuff,” Padgett said.
A spokesperson for that department contacted the Jacksonville Fire Rescue Department to make sure no one was trapped inside the drain.
Tiki Samec said her hand is the one that can be seen reaching up out of the storm drain in the video. She told News4JAX that she had contacted JFRD about the kitten, but she said nothing was done at first.
“It was actually trapped in there, and every time you go near the drain, it would bolt into the pipe,” Samec said.
She said that about a week ago, she contacted Animal Care and Protective Services, and a woman she spoke with gave her advice on how to trap the kitten.
“They gave me some advice. It’s not really safe to be doing that, but if you are going to, put something around to keep the kitten from escaping into the pipe again,” Samec said.
The woman who spoke to News4JAX said the fast food seen being lowered into the storm drain was an attempt to lure the kitten out.
Eventually, they were able to trap and rescue the kitten, who has since been adopted by one of the men seen in the rescue video, the woman said.
“I wouldn’t encourage anyone to do that. No, but I’m definitely not going to leave something sitting there to starve to death,” Samec said.