Man, 27, dies rescuing cat from tree

From Times Staff Reports
February 29, 2008

A 27-year-old man died Wednesday afternoon when he fell 35 to 40 feet from a tree while trying to rescue his neighbor's cat, according to the Orange Fire Department.

Scott Buehler, who was wearing a helmet and a backpack, fell as he reached out for the cat, the fire department said. Animal Care Services was on its way.

Leslie Meader of Animal Care Services said the cat fell to the ground with Buehler. The cat was taken back to the animal care facility in Orange and treated for minor injuries before being returned to its owner about 5:00 p.m.

The cat's owner first called the fire department, which told her to call animal control.

The fire department does not respond to cat-in-tree calls because of safety concerns and because it takes a unit out of service, Fire Capt. Ian MacDonald wrote in an e-mail.

"Do not climb a tree to rescue a cat," he said. "It will come down on its own, and you won't have to take a risk to your own safety."






Whether women's anti-aging products actually work is almost beside the point.
The leaf peepers have it all wrong. It's in the full bloom of summer that western Massachusetts really shines. Photos
Famous faces discuss fashion. Photos
If fashion makes the man, we don't know what kind of man that makes Sasha Baron Cohen's Bruno. Photos | Review
 

ADVERTISEMENT


ADVERTISEMENT

Sports Headlines