
A Purrfect Rescue by Holyhead RNLI
The volunteers of Holyhead RNLI rushed to the aid of a cat that was stranded in the inner port of the town yesterday afternoon (Tuesday 5 November)
The distressed-looking ginger and white feline was spotted on a low ledge on the old harbour wall at approximate 1pm. A member of the public called his friend, a lifeboat volunteer, and described the scene, and the decision was made to launch the inshore lifeboat Mary and Archie Hooper, due to the cat’s position and the gathering crowd of concerned members of the public. HM Coastguard were contacted, and agreed to the lifeboat launching, and monitored the situation as it unfolded.
Due to volunteers already being at the station, the lifeboat was launched within minutes, and headed immediately to the scene.
On approaching the location, the cat was quickly spotted, and the lifeboat approached carefully so as not to further frighten him further. Helmets were temporarily removed to further aid the rescue. As they reached the cat, at first he moved away, obviously unsure what was happening. A crew member then stood up and made contact with the cat, before gently picking him up and placing him safely into the lifeboat.
The volunteers then moved a few short metres to an area where the cat could be safely placed onto more secure ground, and another crewman then climbed up to ensure the cat went in the right direction and didn’t put himself into any further danger.
The cat then gave a momentary glance of thanks to the crew and headed off up towards the town.
The lifeboat crew then headed back to the station, returning at approximately 1.50pm.
Mark Wade, Holyhead RNLI coxswain said:
‘It’s not every day we launch to rescue a cat, but we’re very glad this was a successful outcome. We launch to animals in trouble, not only to help the animal itself, but to prevent any members of the public getting into difficulty themselves trying to rescue it. In this case, the public did the right thing and stayed on land. One of our cat-savvy crewmen stepped up to make contact with the cat, who we now believe is called Peanut, and after his short trip on the lifeboat, he was returned onto dry land where he continued with his day.’
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.
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Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries
Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.