Roto-Rooter Rescues Kitten Trapped in Sewer Pipe Near Morristown, NJ
When a tiny kitten fell into an open basement pipe and disappeared six feet underground into a residential sewer, no one knew if she would make it out.
What followed was a three-hour rescue operation in the dark and the rain, carried out by two Roto-Rooter technicians using the same professional camera equipment they use every day to inspect broken pipes and clear blocked drains.
This is the story of how Stucky got her name.
How Stucky Got Stuck
A tiny kitten found itself trapped six feet below ground in a residential sewer pipe near Morristown, New Jersey.
A feral cat and her kittens had been living in an unoccupied house undergoing active renovations when one of the kittens wandered into an open pipe in the basement.
The pipe led straight down into the home's main sewer line, and once the kitten slid in, there was no way back up on its own.
The cries could be heard coming from the pipe.
The Mendham, New Jersey, Fire Department was called first, assessed the situation, and recognized they needed specialized equipment to locate the kitten underground. They called Roto-Rooter.
How Roto-Rooter Located and Freed the Kitten
Our technicians, Matt Lowry and Matt Mendoza, arrived on site equipped with professional-grade video camera snakes; the same equipment used to inspect sewer lines and diagnose underground plumbing problems.
After locating the kitten using the camera, they dug six feet down to reach the pipe.
The Mendham fire and rescue team remained on site throughout the excavation in case the pit became unstable.
Matt Lowry cut the pipe open and freed the kitten. Matt Mendoza was heavily involved in both the location and rescue effort throughout the three-hour operation, carried out in the dark with light rain falling.
Though scared and wet, the kitten was safe.
Meet Stucky
The homeowners, relieved and grateful, decided to adopt the kitten themselves.
They named her Stucky because she had been stuck inside a pipe. It is one of those names that tells the whole story.
How to Prevent Pets from Falling Into Pipes
Open pipes during a home renovation or construction project are an invisible hazard for curious pets.
A vertical pipe left uncapped in a basement floor is wide enough for a small kitten or puppy to enter, but too smooth to climb back out.
If your home is undergoing renovation work that involves open pipe ends, ask your contractor to cap all open lines at the end of each workday.
Keep pets away from active work areas, especially basements and crawl spaces where drainage pipes connect to the main sewer line.
If you suspect your home has uncapped or poorly secured pipe openings that could pose a risk, call Roto-Rooter for an inspection. Our experienced plumbing technicians can assess your plumbing system and identify any access points that could put your pets at risk.
Roto-Rooter's Pet Rescue Program
This rescue near Morristown is one of many. Roto-Rooter technicians have rescued kittens, puppies, and other pets from sewer pipes and underground drains across North America, always at no charge to the homeowner.
Other rescues from Roto-Rooter's history include a kitten trapped six feet underground in a storm drain in Commack, New York, freed after four hours with the help of sardines pushed into the pipe to coax her toward the exit.
In each case, Roto-Rooter's video camera inspection equipment, designed for diagnosing broken pipes, root intrusion, and drain blockages, proved to be the right tool for finding animals no one else could reach.
Pet rescues are our company’s way of giving back to the communities that have made it North America's largest provider of plumbing and drain cleaning services.
Learn more about Roto-Rooter's Pet Rescue Program.