Photo courtesy Nationwide
After braving a 45-foot fall a water-filled drain, a Siberian-mix cat has actually taken the leading honor at this year’s Hambone Awards, provided by Nationwide.
When Seattle-native Rafa did not come home for supper one night, his owners understood something was incorrect. Following a search of the community, Rafa’s family heard meows originating from a sewage system grate and quickly recognized the cat was caught in a drain. With a storm approaching, they understood the circumstance was vital and required back-up.
Soon enough, with the help of the fire department, animal rescue, Seattle Public Utilities, plumbing technicians, and numerous next-door neighbors, Rafa was drawn out from the pipeline, where he had actually been stuck being in neck-high icy water. The cat was taken a look at by a vet and dealt with for serious hypothermia and other problems prior to spending a week in the ICU.
Fortunately, Rafa made a complete healing.
“The love of animals is one thing that seems to unite us, and that worked to Rafa’s benefit,” says Nationwide’s chief veterinary officer, Jules Benson, BVSc, MRCVS. “Neighbors, city agencies, private companies—they all came together to get Rafa out of a dangerous situation, and then his veterinary team got him back to health. What a great team effort for a beloved pet!”
Rafa and his family have actually gotten a Hambone prize, a $1,000 present card, and a $1,000 contribution in their name to an animal charity of their option.
Two other finalists have actually likewise gotten $500 present cards a $500 contribution in their names. They are:
- Russell, a mixed-breed dog from Granada Hills, Calif., who broke numerous front teeth after facing a concrete outdoor patio action while enroute to welcome his human sibling; and
- Rex, a Shih Tzu from Livonia, Mich., who swallowed a wishbone.
All chosen animals made complete healings.
Established in 2009, the Hambone Awards were called in honor of a dog that when consumed a whole Thanksgiving ham. Past winners consist of Ellie, a Labrador retriever who demolished a beehive and its countless residents; Lulu, a starving bulldog who swallowed 15 infant pacifiers, a bottle cap, and a piece of a basketball; and Ziva and Zeus, 2 German shepherds who went missing out on for 22 days in an abandoned rocket silo.
