A tiny kitten endured a harrowing 18-hour ordeal trapped inside an underground pipe in Bay Shore before being rescued by a local animal welfare group. The rescue, which involved hours of careful coordination, ended with the frightened feline finally being pulled to safety—highlighting once again the critical role of community response in saving vulnerable animals.
The kitten, whose meows were first heard by residents in the area, was found stuck in a narrow drainage pipe with no clear way to escape. Concerned citizens contacted Long Island Cat Kitten Solution (LICKS), a nonprofit that specializes in rescuing stray and feral cats across Long Island.
LICKS quickly mobilized and arrived at the scene with rescue equipment and volunteers ready to act. The team employed a humane ketch-pole—typically used to secure animals safely from a distance—to reach the kitten, who was wedged far down the dark pipe.
“It was heartbreaking to hear her cries from underground,” said one volunteer. “We knew we had to get her out, no matter how long it took.” After more than 18 hours of attempts, including using food and sound to coax the kitten out, the team successfully pulled her from the pipe—cold, frightened, and hungry, but alive.
Once rescued, the kitten was taken into foster care where she received food, warmth, and medical attention. She is reportedly doing well and will be made available for adoption once she’s fully recovered.
This isn’t the first time a kitten rescue like this has made headlines. Similar incidents have been reported across the country, where local officials and good Samaritans have intervened to save animals trapped in storm drains and pipes.
In Cypress, Texas, a Harris County Sheriff’s deputy recently rescued a kitten stuck in a drainage pipe on Fairfield Falls Way. The kitten, believed to be only a few weeks old, was trapped for several hours before being safely retrieved and handed over to animal services. That kitten also made a full recovery.
Meanwhile, in Escambia County, Florida, Animal Welfare Officer Sgt. Merideth Roberson of Escambia County Animal Welfare saved a kitten named “Pipes” from a drainage pipe located near the regional juvenile detention center. Sgt. Roberson first attempted to lure the kitten out by playing sounds of a mother cat. When that failed, she bravely entered the pipe herself to retrieve the frightened animal.
In all of these cases, one common theme stands out: the importance of acting quickly and compassionately when animals are in danger. Authorities encourage residents to contact local animal services or non-profit rescues if they come across similar situations rather than attempting dangerous rescues on their own.