A Calgary family’s cat is safe at home after spending hours stranded on a utility pole in the city’s northeast on Friday. Ibtsam Ahmad said his cat, Tinku, escaped the family home early in the morning and was later found several metres up a utility pole near 15 Templebow Rd. N.E., close to McKnight Boulevard. The family spent much of the day trying to get help, contacting 311, Calgary police, the Calgary Fire Department and Enmax, along with a private arborist. However, they were told little could be done due to the presence of live high-voltage wires. Ahmad said an Enmax worker who stopped at the scene in the afternoon indicated there was nothing he could do, while a fire crew advised the family that Enmax would need to respond. “We called 311, we called Enmax, we called the fire department. We even went in person to the fire department,” Ahmad told CTV News earlier in the evening. “I’m very, very disappointed in our system today.” The family set up a makeshift hammock below in case the cat fell. Calgary Fire Department District Chief Dave Nelson said animal-related 911 calls are directed to the Calgary Police Service, which determines response priority. He said fire crews are only dispatched if requested by police. Nelson added the department was not aware of the situation until contacted by the media. Later in the evening, fire crews returned to the scene and requested Enmax attend to assess the situation. In an email to CTV News, Enmax said a crew was on the way and would determine whether it was safe to attempt a rescue. “These are high voltage lines so safety is critical for both our team and the cat,” the company said, adding crews were also considering the potential impact of shutting off power to nearby homes. Enmax confirmed that power to the line had been temporarily shut off and the cat was rescued at about 10:35 p.m. “The circuit was then re-energized and we are back to normal operations. We’re pleased to say the cat is home safe,” the company said. Ahmad later told CTV News the cat was brought down using an aerial bucket truck. Once near the ground, Tinku jumped free and ran off before making his way back home. No injuries were reported.
