Residents of Irvington, New Jersey, were recently taken aback by a peculiar sight – a fluffy animal wandering with her head trapped in a jar. The concerned neighbors weren’t sure of the best course of action upon noticing the distressed animal.
It wasn’t long before they realized the jar-headed wanderer was a cat in dire need of assistance. As reported by ABC 7 News, locals tirelessly pursued the cat for several days, intent on ensuring her safety. Local rescuers Marcia Sandford Fishkind and Eileen DiNicola made multiple attempts to catch her but were unsuccessful. Meanwhile, community members and animal enthusiasts started tagging John Debacker, a well-known local animal rescue expert, on Facebook, imploring him to lend his expertise.
Finally, on Christmas Day, Debacker set aside his holiday plans and rushed to the scene, ready to help.
“I was in [New Jersey] for Christmas when I got the call that the cat was in sight,” Debacker shared with The Dodo.
With the cat finally within reach, Debacker skillfully climbed over a chain-link fence and approached her with caution.
“John climbed over the fence and onto the junk so quietly and gingerly, as to not scare her away, and scruffed her quickly and got her right into the carrier,” DiNicola recounted in a Facebook post about the event.
Once safely contained, the cat was quickly relieved of the troublesome jar.
“I slowly twisted it off her head while she was in the carrier [so] as to not injure her,” Debacker explained. “She didn’t resist at all.”
The rescuers named the cat Merry, a fitting tribute to her Christmas Day rescue. They arranged for her transport to Brick City Kitties Rescue, Inc., where she received the necessary medical attention.
Merry was soon found to be friendly and ready for adoption. Now, thanks to the collective effort of the Irvington community, sweet Merry’s future is shining bright.