Deckers Rescue
Decker, my feral cat , who no longer goes outside, got outside... He was terrified and stayed close to home, but i couldnt coax him back in, he managed to crawl up into our Van, and we couldnt get him out. The next morning we thoroughly checked the van and it 'appeared' he had left, well, he did NOT, after traveling under the van on the expressway at 65+ mph, for 20 miles, when my husband pulled in his co workers driveway to pick him up, he caught a glimpse of what looked like a raccoon, or possible Decker our gray very large, Tabby cat....he got out and yes, it was indeed Decker! Now Decker climbed in the truck in their driveway 20 miles from home...I get a call at work, a Veterinarian Hospital, and my husband tells me Decker is in Rolling Meadows now! my heart dropped! Now what I prayed, now he's NOWHERE familiar...i HAVE TO GET HIM! i left work with nets, a box, gloves, food to lure him ...to no avail, he WAS NOT coming out of the spot he purposely wedged himself into...SO we called several places for help , then called the ROLLING MEADOWS FIRE DEPARTMENT...Evan, Mike, Bryan, and another Mike came to the scene and thats when things began to move in the right direction, these guys got right to work assessing the situation, figuring out what needed to be done and went to work, Decker had wedged himself up in the axel next to the fuel lines so extra care had to be taken to ensure safety... they collectively and relentlessly went to work to get Decker out of there safely!
One of the firemen ,Mike, got bit, but that didnt stop them, they were making comments like, 'wow, this is one strong cat", "this cat made noises that would scare the devil", but they were not letting any of that keep them from getting him out of there to safety.
The neighbors came out out to help, some were holding blankets around the vehicle in case Decker tried to run , another made a call to his daughter Katie who works at the Arlington Park Veterinary Hospital nearby, she left work and came with a carrier... and when Decker got free, he ran up in the wheel well where they held him until the Veterinarian Donald Ernat, D.V.M. from the Arlington Park Veterinary Hospital who also left the office to come give Decker a sedative got there.. Dr gave the shot , we waited a few LONG minutes for it to take affect, then success, got Decker in the carrier, closed the door, and off I went to where i work at the Lombard Animal Hospital, where Dr Kipnis and Randy took over his care. Decker, from holding on for dear life both on the expressway, and onto the axel when trying to be freed, had tore off his pads on his paws and had a very bad road rash /burn on his belly.
He is HOME and still healing , but almost all his wounds are healed up now ...
Thank you just doesnt cut it to express my gratitude to all those who made his HOMECOMING a reality...
...Decker is also a hero himself... born in the wild, protected his sister who was caught in a chicken wire fence he stayed with her for two weeks! he kept her alive until she and he were eventually rescued, Randy our tech took his sister home, and I took Decker home...
This is Deckers story and what true meaning heroism and humanity are ...
Thank You to ALL those who made this possible God bless!