08/01/2026
A rescue that changed everything ❤️
3 years ago a tiny stray kitten had slipped into a downpipe, a pipe that ran under the concrete foundations of a house.
Leila and Dennison, hearing the cries of the stray kitten did everything they could to reach him. But with no luck, and fearing the kitten had travelled even further under the house, they called for help.
RSPCA Rescue Officer Chantelle arrived quickly, not realising this rescue would stretch across 2 days and 15 exhausting hours of trying every trick in the book. As the hours ticked by, and Rescue Officers Amy and Jess joined the effort, it was clear more help and specialist equipment would be needed.
Calling in a local emergency plumber, they arrived with a longer inspection camera and was able to locate the kitten. Wedged 10-metres into the pipework beneath the house the kitten was not only lost amongst a pipe maze, but stuck where the pipe had been crushed to half its size.
With the kitten so far down the pipe, the only remaining option was to break through the concrete slab. By now it was the wee hours of the morning, and our Team were well into hour 10 of the rescue. The rescue operation was paused until the morning, when cutting through the concrete could safely begin.
The next morning Rescue Officer Mary arrived, joined by Queensland Fire Department Logan, who carefully cut through the concrete for further excavation of the land around the pipes. RSPCA Rescue Officer Mary finally reach the kitten!
The kitten, named Joycee Jai, was freed. But heartbreakingly, after being trapped for so long without food or water and suffering from hypothermia that led to pneumonia, Joycee Jai didn’t survive.
While the outcome was devastating, the impact of this rescue stayed with Lelia and Dennison.
Deeply moved by the dedication, teamwork and determination shown that night, they turned their grief into action. They created a special edition calendar with proceeds going directly towards purchasing the RSPCA Rescue Team specialist rescue equipment and even rallied Marsden State School to help fundraise.
On the third anniversary of Joycee Jai’s rescue, Lelia and Dennison presented our RSPCA Rescue Team with something extraordinary – a donation that funded a much-needed inspection camera with a longer inspection range.
A vital piece of equipment like this will be used time and time again, in rescues where animals are trapped out of sight.
We are so incredibly grateful. Thank you, Lelia and Dennison. One little kitten’s story will help countless others ❤️
