Kitten rescued from inside a wall

WARWICK - On Saturday, June 11, the Warwick Valley Humane Society received a call around 5:30 p.m. from a neighbor of a vacant house on Golden Avenue in Greenwood Lake. The caller reported that a kitten, whose cries he could hear, had been stuck inside a wall since early that morning. Suzyn Barron, president of the humane society, and another animal control officer, Rebecca Hanlon, responded. “The kitten cries,” said Barron, “could be heard from what appeared to be inside a sheet rocked post in the middle of the apartment.” She called the Greenwood Lake Fire Department and Chief John Rader responded immediately. He then called in a few of his firefighters with equipment and broke into the wall of the rental property only to find it empty. The kitten cries becoming more distant. The firefighters also braved the sewer smell and debris when they climbed beneath the house and found several sections of exposed ducting with numerous holes. But no kitten. After nearly two hours of searching and no more cries, everyone went home hopeful that the kitten made it out on its own. But that’s not the end of the story. The following day Hanlon called to find out if the kitten could be heard crying and the response was, “Yes!” She told Barron who then called in Animal Control Officer Tom Neely, who also owns Humane Home Improvements, to attempt another rescue. Barron and Neely immediately heard the kitten cries, which were distinctly above the opening created by the Fire Department the day before. Neely literally punched a hole in the wall, removed some sheet rock and freed the four-week old black and white kitten who appeared to be in good health despite his 33-hour ordeal. “The members of the Greenwood Lake Fire Department are truly dedicated and compassionate,” Barron said, “and we very much appreciate their willingness to assist animal control in this rescue. What we have yet to figure out is how did the kitten get in there? And of course, what to name him: Golden Boy from Golden Avenue or Wally the Wall Kitty?”