Posted on 12/30/2008 9:57:06 AM PST by Fawn
PHOENIX, AZ -- Brutis the cat is back home with his owner after going through a bit of a pickle. He had been stuck in a neighbor's tree for nine days, according to the owner.
And the cat's owner says a police officer may have been partly to blame.
The cat got away from his owner, Michael, last Sunday at a home near 12th Street and Bell Road. When Michael finally tracked Brutis down, he was stuck in the branches, two stories in the air, on his neighbor's property.
The neighbor is a Phoenix police officer.
Michael had tried to get the cat out with no luck. Animal Control told him they don't handle cats due to limited resources.
On Christmas morning, the Humane Society tried to rescue Brutis but said its ladders were not tall enough to reach him.
They also suggested Michael leave food and water at the base of the tree, something Michael said he couldn't do because his police officer neighbor would not let him back on the property.
"He said he wouldn't let us go back there and try and rescue the cat," Michael said.
Michael said the officer told him he was concerned that if someone got hurt while trying to get the cat on his property, he would be liable.
"He said no because of insurance," explained Michael.
A Phoenix Police spokesperson said the officer did what he could to help the cat.
Sgt. Tommy Thompson said the officer followed the direction of the Humane Society, taking his dog inside for a day, hoping the cat would come down on it's own.
He said the Humane Society called the officer an "angel" who did all he could.
The Humane Society also told the officer they could not rescue the cat safely, according to Thompson.
However, another non-profit said on Monday they made an attempt to get Brutis out of the tree.
Toni Smith and Terry Toman are with Citizens for North Phoenix Strays.
"There's some friction here between these neighbors and I said I could care less about the people I just want to go up and get the cat," said Smith.
Smith and Toman said they chose to go behind the home on a public sidewalk and lean a 25-foot ladder against his back wall.
In this way, they figured they were not on his property.
Just as they were about to get the cat, Smith said, "This guy comes barreling out of his house, flashed his gun and his badge, and started screaming and freaking out."
Toman added, "It's a little overkill".
ABC15 tried to speak with the officer to get his side of the story, but he said to call police.
The Phoenix Police Department said their officer had a right to defend his property.
They added that there was no way the officer could have known whether Smith and Toman were intruders or not.
“It seems like I just have to sit here and watch my cat starve to death or freeze to death,” Michael said.
Both Smith and Toman said they were willing to sign a waiver guaranteeing they would not sue the officer or hold him liable if they should hurt themselves while rescuing Brutis.
“It’s just a cat in a tree, why can’t we just go there and get the cat and move on,” Smith said.
Late Tuesday morning, Michael said police officers arrived at the home and rescued the cat using a ladder. It's unclear who's property they did it from.
Sgt. Thompson said Phoenix Police don't normally rescue cats from trees, but said calls to the Police Chief's office prompted the move to get the cat down.
Brutis is now safe and doing well -- and out of the tree.
Sheesh, what a waste of time. Cats may ‘seem’ stuck in a tree but believe me, when they get hungry they’ll come down.
And no single dog will stop them. Well, successfully stop them if the cat is in good shape and not getting too old.
JB
In some jurisdictions, yes, you can shoot loose dogs.
Why should cats be exempt?
They eat the birds and lizards in my yard and use my garden and flower beds for their toilet. They howl at the neighbor’s indoor cat when it’s in their screened in porch. The one neighbor lets her little darling run loose and, of course, it somehow got pregnant and now there are four little darlings. The neighbors on both sides of me are ready to shoot them and put them in the trash. Word of advice? Keep your animals under your control in your yard. Your neighbors will appreciate you for being responsible and you will have happier and healthier pets.
What lovely people
better a dead cat than a dead person. If the cat wants to come down it will. Most likely the cat would run away from anyone going up after it. Most likely its still up there because all these strange people have been trying to get it.
That's one smart cat. Does he run home to use the phone or does it carry its own cellphone :)
OMG! You, like, totally, totally got it. You totally understood the exact and complete meaning of what I was saying.
NOT!
Let’s examine your made-up list:
1) Birds - According to law, variable by State, some birds, yes, as long as you don’t violate any safety laws
2) Neighbors’ dogs running loose - Unless one is charging or attacking you, no, because neighbors’ dogs are not legally considered to be wild animals
3) Possum - Yes, again it varies by State, and you must not violate any safety laws
4) Snakes - Yes, same as possum in most States
5) Neighbors’ kids - This one might be your first clue that you failed to understand the point, and missed the humor attached to it. But just to be clear, are these neighbors’ kids making a lot of noise and stomping my flowers? I mean, I don’t want to make a snap judgment until I have all the relevant facts.
One modification: There are some varieties of snakes that are protected, so you can’t shoot those.
When are you planning to go hunting and what’s your weapon of choice?
The neighbors who suck are the ones who can't or won't control their animals, whether they're barking dogs or roaming cats. If those neighbors want to pay me to let their animals on my property and then will clean up after them, I may change my opinion.
"Late Tuesday morning, Michael said police officers arrived at the home and rescued the cat using a ladder. It's unclear whose property they were on during the rescue."
Your version:
"Late Tuesday morning, Michael said police officers arrived at the home and rescued the cat using a ladder. It's unclear who's property they did it from."
Transcription error or update from a sloppy press?
No, cats love me. How do you think I’m able to coerce so many of them over to my place? They seldom suspect a thing.
I had a cat that got chased up the telephone pole outside our home. I called the power company, they said we don’t do cats. So I put food and water at the base of the pole hoping to lure him down. It was August in CA, 100+ temps, so I was worried about him. He began to make his way down and jumped down on the transformer on the pole. He made contact and was electrocuted. I thought “Oh %^&$, now we have to watch our beloved pet decompose in front of our home”. He then began to convulse, slid off the transformer, hit everything he possible could on the way down, then hit the ground (not on his feet I might add). He took some deep breaths. I ran to him, and felt his little heart racing mile-a-minute (V-tach? At what point of the cardiac cycle did he get shocked?). I brought him in and called the vet.
After losing his tail and part of an ear, he turned out ok after all.
You totally missed my sarcasm and humor too. But—to conclude...what a bunch of BS. You just can’t pull out a gun and shoot any animal or bird or whatever in most towns/villages and cities. Maybe you can win your case if your life was in danger like with a killer dog. But if you shot a cat cuz it pooped on your lawn, I believe yer goin to jail for being cruel, heartless, reckless, illegally discharging a firearm and for being an ignorant redneck.
I didn’t change a thing. Copied and pasted.
So how many cat skeletons have you seen wedged in the fork of a tree? Put food out and it will come down.
You obviously didn’t do enough sentence diagramming in public school.
And then there was the time my miniature dachshund publicly embarrassed me by chasing a squirrel UP a tree, somehow managing to get herself stuck 6-7 feet above the ground, till she was rescued by a human (me).
SEE POST 21
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