Kitten Engine Rescue
Georgia Deputy Rescues Stuck Kitten from Car Engine Using Chicken Drumstick Bait
A Georgia deputy rescued a kitten trapped inside a car engine using an unlikely tool: a chicken drumstick. The incident happened in Forsyth County on June 26, when a woman called authorities after hearing mewing sounds from her vehicle, according to Forsyth County Sheriff's Office.
Two kittens were found near the outside of the car, but a third was lodged deep inside the engine block. After about 60 minutes of failed attempts to reach it by hand, the deputy dangled a chicken drumstick near the engine. The smell lured the kitten out, and the deputy safely grabbed it, WTVM News reported.
One Kitten Too Deep to Reach by Hand
When the deputy arrived around 10:15 AM, he quickly pulled two kittens from near the car's exterior. But the third kitten was a different problem. It had crawled deep into the engine block, behind metal parts the deputy could not move. Every time someone reached in, the kitten got scared and pushed further back, according to WTVM News.
For over an hour, the deputy and the car's owner tried different ways to coax the kitten out. Nothing worked. That is when the deputy grabbed a chicken drumstick and held it near the engine opening. Within about 20 minutes, the scent did what hands could not. The kitten crept forward and the deputy made his move, WTVM News reported.
All Three Kittens Head to the Local Animal Shelter
By noon, all three kittens were safe. The deputy brought them to the Forsyth County Animal Shelter, according to WTVM News. The car's owner told the deputy she had "no recollection" of how the kittens got there, suggesting the animals were strays that climbed into the vehicle on their own.
The Forsyth County Sheriff's Office posted a video of the rescue on social media that evening. It spread quickly, with many residents calling it "Operation Drumstick" in the comments. One commenter wrote it was "nice to see a deputy go the extra mile for the smallest members of our community," according to Forsyth County Sheriff's Office social media posts.
Kitten Season Makes Car Engines a Hidden Danger
Kittens often crawl into car engines for warmth or to hide from predators, especially in spring and summer. But once a car starts, the heat and moving parts can be deadly. Dr. Lanier Orr of Orr Animal Hospital, which previously worked with Forsyth animal control, called car engines "death traps" for small animals, according to Forsyth County News.
The sheriff's office used the story's attention to push a simple safety tip: tap the hood of your car before starting it during kitten season. Forsyth County shelters typically see a surge in kittens during summer months and have an urgent need for fosters. Officials hope the viral rescue drives people to adopt, according to WTVM News.
A Feel-Good Win for the Sheriff's Office Image
The rescue comes at a useful time for the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office. The county recently negotiated a $400,000-per-year deal to maintain its animal control facilities, a topic that had drawn public debate, according to Forsyth County News. Stories like this one help build trust between deputies and the community they serve.
The deputy has not been named publicly, but the FCSO praised him for "unmatched ingenuity and patience," according to WTVM News. There is no official sheriff's office policy for using food as animal bait. The chicken drumstick tactic falls entirely under what the department calls officer discretion on non-emergency calls.
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