Sam was chased up a loblolly pine by a barking dog in an
adjacent yard. Unaware of Sam’s plight, the dog owners kept letting the dog out
into its yard, which only terrorized Sam all the more. When I got there Sam was
at least 60 feet up the tree and had been there for between 2 and 3 days. Since
there were only weak branches in the canopy of this tree, I ascended the tree
with a pair of trunk cinches to about 50 feet and then used a lanyard to work
around branches until I got to Sam.
Sam was excited to see me and could hardly wait for me to
arrive. She climbed down onto my shoulders before I could get the cat bag out.
I lowered her safely to her family who took her inside for some food, water,
and cuddles. By the time I was down and packed up Sam had devoured a whole bowl
of food. When she saw me at the door she didn't want me to touch her – maybe she associated me with the tree trauma –
but with a little coaxing, she let me pet her and was soon wrapping herself
around my feet.
