Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office deputies were recently in hot pursuit of an unexpected suspect. The incident took place on Sept. 8, when deputies saw a tiny kitten on the side of the southbound lane of I-275.
According to a Facebook post about the incident, a good Samaritan named Donna Watson had called Florida Highway Patrol about the incident. A pair of quick-thinking deputies happened to arrive first, and one of them jumped into action, chasing the kitten down before it could run into traffic.
Fortunately for animal lovers everywhere, the whole thing was caught on video thanks to the deputy’s body camera, which shows the amazing moments when the deputy saved the kitten, even if it looked like the rescue was against the 5-week-old black kitten’s wishes at some points.
“Lights on, deputy out, and after a quick foot PURsuit with help from FHP, who arrived to assist, the little guy was safely rescued and taken into ‘protective custody,'” the caption for the video said.
The Kitten Was Scooped Up Just in the Nick of Time
Vehicles can be seen racing by as the deputy chased down the kitten along the side of the road. At certain times it almost seemed like the kitten would get away, a scary thought given his surroundings. However, the officer was eventually able to get him to safety.
The woman deputy who caught the kitten could be heard calling him “my precious baby” as she ran after her. Watson could even be seen running up to make sure the kitten was okay after she was caught, and she was barely holding back tears as she thanked the deputies.
The Sheriff’s Office Posted an Update About the Kitten
All’s well that ends well, according to an update that was shared just a few days after the kitten’s rescue. According to the post, the kitten was adopted by the deputy who found him. “He has a follow-up appointment next week at the Pet Resource Center off Falkenburg for his check-up,” the update continued. “He has a great appetite and is growing fast. He loves watching himself online and loves all of his supporters!”
The sheriff’s office also joked that the kitten, who has been named Dash thanks to the way he dashed away from the deputies when they tried to rescue him, was interested in serving as the K-9 unit’s first tactical kitty “once he’s big enough.”
People Couldn’t Get Enough of Dash’s Story
In the comments of the most recent post, people celebrated the fast-acting deputy who saved Dash while also gushing over how cute he is. “According to the cat distribution system, there’s a new sheriff in town, Deputy Dash,” one person wrote.
“I saw his speed chase; the criminals won’t stand a chance against this FURocious one,” another person joked about his future in law enforcement.
“I am obsessed with him,” yet another person wrote. “Watching him take off when he was trying to be nabbed was hysterical! He moved like a bat outta h–l!”
While it’s great that Dash has found a new home, it’s clear that his adoring fans would like to keep seeing updates about the kitten as he continues to grow into his potential role as the unit’s tactical kitty.