(PIKES PEAK REGION, Colo.) — The Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region (HSPPR) is sharing the story of Zeal, who was found trapped in a dumpster but went on to be adopted by a loving family.
According to HSPPR, on a cold December morning, Animal Law Enforcement (ALE) got an urgent call for help. Behind a row of buildings, a kitten was trapped inside the drain of a dumpster, alone, cold, and barely holding on.
When the officer arrived, winter had made itself known; the metal of the dumpster was slick with frost, the air carried the sharp, quiet cold that seeps into your bones. The officer saw the kitten, soaked through, matted with waste, and shivering. The dumpster drain was narrow, but the kitten was still moving, still trying.
HSPPR said without hesitation, the ALE officers climbed into the dumpster. He moved slowly, spoke softly, and coaxed the frightened creature who had learned too early that the world could be harsh and cruel. Eventually, he was able to free the kitten from the drain and lifted him into the light. The kitten was freezing, exhausted, and silent, but alive…