A black kitten has found a new home with a Multnomah County sheriff's deputy after an odyssey that involved unwittingly hitching a ride inside a Search and Rescue (SAR) truck. The furry stowaway's journey began in a county parking lot, where the SAR truck was parked for training exercises. According to the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office, a K9 alerted to the vehicle, signaling the possible presence of a rodent which triggered a request for a vehicle inspection.
The inspection was, however, preempted when MCSO SAR was called to respond to an incident at the Vista House, which required the vehicle to travel more than 10 miles at freeway speeds and another 5 miles up a winding road. Amid preparations for the SAR mission, volunteers heard a tiny cry emanating from the truck. Two volunteers stayed behind to methodically disassemble a wheel-well to access the interior, eventually finding and rescuing a small black kitten.
The kitten, now named Vista after the location where she was found, was adopted by a SAR deputy. Vista has been seen by a veterinarian and is being treated for a cold but is "otherwise uninjured and in good health," the sheriff's office shared in a statement. Photos and opportunities for interviews with the SAR volunteers are being made available by the MCSO, alongside a staged presence of the rescue truck for additional coverage.
