Hello Kitty: Bridgehampton Firefighters Retrieve Kitten From Dryer Vent

We’ve all heard the story of the fire department being called out to rescue a cat that was stuck in a tree.

On Tuesday, December 7, Bridgehampton firefighters and Southampton Town Public Safety’s Animal Control Division were called to a home on Newlight Lane in Water Mill. The caller said it appeared an animal had gotten stuck in a dryer vent of a house that was being renovated.

Firefighters had to cut and remove sections of the vent and portions of the wall to get close to the animal. When they got farther down the vent and closer to the dryer unit, they found the culprit — a tiny, 4-to-5-week-old kitten.

The kitty was turned over to Animal Control Officer Colleen Kidd, who took it to the Southampton Animal Shelter to be cared for.

“The talkative little kitten is now safe and sound at the animal shelter, where it is awaiting a loving family to adopt it and give it a home,” she said in a release.

“We’re thankful for the efforts and care demonstrated by the excellent volunteers from the Bridgehampton Fire Department in gaining access to the kitten so that we could get it off to safety,” said Town Code Compliance and Emergency Management Administrator Ryan Murphy. “We value the partnerships that exist between the Southampton Town Department of Public Safety and all our dedicated fire and EMS agencies throughout the town.”

The supervising town animal control officer, Cathy Antos, said: “As we proceed into a colder time of the year, it is always possible that animals may seek warmth under decks, in deep window wells, or even in places like a dryer vent, as we saw here, to escape the cold.

“If you encounter a situation like that and need assistance, the Southampton Town Animal Control is prepared to come out and help get the animals to safety.”