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Cat Found from Florida Condo

I know there’s a long thread on the collapse in Current Events, but because that’s so long and because I know a lot of folks simply avoid Current Events, I didn’t want this to get lost.

A cat survived the collapse from the ninth floor. Apparently uninjured.

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I am so glad that even one pet survived and was reunited with his remaining owners. I know it doesn’t balance the scales but the survivors so badly need moments of joy.

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I still wonder how many pets were killed when they collapsed the other tower. I don’t buy for one second that they made a thorough search of those apartments.

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It had to have helped the rescuers too to find a survivor. They have such a tough and dangerous job. I couldn’t do it.

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I just want to know what happened to poor CoCo. I don’t buy the we searched everything story either.

Glad they found poor Binx.

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I must have missed something huge… they collapsed the remaining portion of the building? Wow.

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A week ago today, I think: https://apnews.com/article/fl-state-wire-surfside-building-collapse-storms-business-96030f2bf7cedd81ee5043e4568971b3

They claimed they had searched the apartments and run cameras inside them to search for animals, but I don’t think they did as thorough a job as they want us all to think.

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Wow! I sure hope they made sure there was nothing living in there before they intentionally imploded the place.

They used drones and heat seeking equipment. They went through three times. The pets were either gone, or perished from lack of food or water. Or, they escaped, like Binx, and are wandering.

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Well, if you’re wondering, and if you don’t believe that you would be in agreement with how they did their jobs, would you want to get trained in search and rescue yourself, and become a volunteer willing to do this work as per your own ethics/sense of responsibility?

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2 trained rescue groups did offer to go in and search for the numerous pets left behind: Daisy the bulldog, Mia cat, Coco cat, a guinea pig, several iguanas and 2 other cats left w/ Daisy dog.
Authorities refused to allow anyone inside to search.

I don’t believe as much effort was put into retrieving pets as media is reporting. For one thing,
probably many units were locked so how do you search those. And two, how can drones see
all the rooms inside a darkened unit? They can’t.
Three sweeps were made according to Mayor Cava. Sweeps by whom?
Some authorities decided they just wouldn’t risk it.

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See @Marla_100’s post below, please. Drones and cameras could not get into all the apartments.

And bless your pea-picking little heart, which sadly is as close on COTH as I can get to saying what I really would like to say to you.

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I hate that pets died, but the building was unstable. They used cherry pickers, drones, and heat seeking equipment. I think they did what they could. Also, after several days, those caged animals wouldn’t have made it. It breaks my heart, but I don’t fault the decisions that were made. They did try.

I guess if you have to evacuate, try to grab your pets. It’s really all you can do. Even in floods, earthquakes, fires, etc… the decisions may be out of your hands in the interest of public safety. I don’t know if I could forgive myself if someone’s dad/brother/son or sister/mom/daughter died because they were trying to rescue my pet in an unsafe situation. I love my pets, but I don’t want anyone killing themselves saving them!

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This is where I stand. I have the most easy going, dog-like cat in the world but he doesn’t like to be picked up and will sprint off if you don’t grab him the first time. He will then hide for hours after a couple attempts. About a year ago I made an elevated eating spot for him and thought I could train his 17 year old, super food motivated butt to associate being picked up with a delicious meal. Nope, he just became anxious until I caved and built some kitty stairs. The dog would probably follow me anywhere and her leash is by the front door but she is not one to get freaked out by storms and fireworks or, in this case, a building collapse. If I still had Guinea Pigs, there wouldn’t have been a way to rush them out the door (with a dog and a cat) if I was trying to save my own life.

It’s unfortunate that pets suffered and died but I don’t think rescue workers should be blamed for not doing more when it could have resulted in more human lives lost.

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A comment on a discussion of the 911 audio YouTube said: “8 apartments they could not access to pop doors. PH4, 305, 405, 505, 605 (residents escaped), 705 (residents escaped), 805 & 905.”

Coco cat was in 405. Binx and other cat Hippo and Daisy dog were in 904.

Mia was in 1006. Doors should have been popped on that unit. Caged birds and guinea pigs, and lizards, people thought were probably already dead before the July 4 demolition. I don’t recall what other pets were in the standing and partially collapsed units, but there weren’t many,