VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — A cat who was in Turkey during last month’s devastating earthquake has a new home and family in Virginia Beach, all thanks to a PETA rescuer.
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Alex Cutshall is a PETA fieldworker who lives in Virginia Beach. He traveled to Turkey to help rescue animals from the earthquake’s wreckage.
During the rescue, Cutshall found a cat “in a dilapidated building that tilted just like the Learning Tower of Pisa,” according to PETA. The cat was then appropriately named “Pisa.”
Cutshall says when the rescue team found Pisa, the cat was terrified. He also said there was no way to locate Pisa’s family since he wasn’t microchipped.
“Pisa was so scared when we first found him, surrounded by crumbling buildings, his world in pieces, and with nothing to eat. There was no question he had to come home with me,” said Cutshall.
Following the rescue, PETA cleared Pisa for travel, allowing him to go home with his new owner.
“Today, our whole family is showing Pisa he’s safe and loved, and he’s enjoying life, from cuddling with the kids to playing with our two dogs and even bringing energy back to our elderly cat,” said Cutshall.
PETA says its Global Compassion Fund allows people to respond to emergencies around the world and rescue animals like Pisa.
