After three-day rescue operation, kitten freed from sewer drain

MADISON (WITI) -- A kitten trapped in a Madison sewer drain is safe after a three day rescue operation.

The first call for help was placed in the early morning hours of Saturday, August 17th, after a small kitten had somehow found her way to the base of a North High Point Rd. sewer drain in Madison.

A couple of West District officers put their heads together, and eventually left a blanket, hoping the kitten would dig in her claws, and climb up -- to no avail.

Like many her age, the little kitten named is stubborn and finicky, and when police officers and City of Madison Engineering staff showed up to try to help her out of her predicament, she treated them with indifference.

By Saturday, August 31st, it was clear the kitten had no interest in taking the easy way out.

Over the weekend, animal service workers from Public Health, Madison & Dane County tried placing a couple of different types of live traps -- again, to no avail.

A concerned officer returned off-duty with his family on Sunday, and reconnected with City of Madison Engineering team members on "Operation Kitty Rescue."

There was no luck, it was day three, and now, there was rain in the forecast.

If gutters filled, the kitten could drown, and by Monday morning there was an increased sense of urgency. The same officer came back again, still off-duty, still with his family, for another go at it with the engineering workers.

"With a net, board and gloves, we were finally able to rescue the kitten 'Bane,' thanks to brilliant assistance from (members of the City of Madison Engineering team)", wrote the off-duty officer in a letter of thanks to their supervisor.

He explained, "My daughter picked the name Bane, after the character in Batman who lives in the sewers!"

The officer and his family took Bane to the Dane County Humane Society where they learned she was not only finicky, but very healthy and very adoptable!