One ordinary day, Rafa, a gorgeous Siberian mix from Seattle, decided to embark on one of his usual outdoor adventures.
As his mom, Susan, was bringing pizza boxes inside their home, he sneaked out the front door to roam the neighborhood.
Susan and her partner, Jose, noticed Rafa was missing after a while but initially didn’t think much of it.
However, as hours passed without any sign of him, concern grew, so the couple started looking for him, but to no avail.
With darkness setting in, they reluctantly decided to postpone their search until the next day.
The next morning, Susan began calling Rafa’s name and heard distant meows in response.
She and Jose followed Rafa’s cries for help, eventually coming to a nearby storm drain, where they discovered their precious cat was trapped.
Unable to rescue him themselves, they called for help.
Neighbors, the local fire department, Seattle Public Utilities, and Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Drain Service all came to their aid, determined to help the stuck feline.
The team soon realized Rafa descended 45 feet down the drainage pipe and was neck-deep in freezing water.
With a storm approaching that threatened to fill the pipe further, they knew they had to act quickly to save the mischievous Rafa, affectionately nicknamed Puffy.
Rescuing Rafa wasn’t at all an easy task. First, the team had to cut through the surrounding blackberry bushes, then dig up and cut open the pipe.
The mission took several hours, but thanks to their united efforts and hard work, Rafa was eventually freed.
The frightened cat was immediately rushed to a local vet clinic, where he was diagnosed with severe hypothermia and other minor complications.
After a week in the ICU, he fully recovered and was able to return home.
Rafa’s reckless adventure earned him an unusual award. Believe it or not, this mischievous feline received the Hambone Award from insurance provider Nationwide Pet.
This award is given annually to the most extraordinary pet insurance claim as voted by the public.
Rafa’s owners, Susan and Jose, were given a $1,000 gift card, a $1,000 donation made in their name to a pet charity of their choice, and a ham-shaped Hambone Award trophy.
Nationwide Pet even created a video report on Rafa’s rescue, which you can watch below:
Although Rafa found himself in a rather dangerous and life-threatening situation, his little adventure brought him this very valuable award.
Hopefully, it also taught him a valuable lesson: You shouldn’t always give in to your own curiosity.
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