Kitten rescued from a drainage pipe near Target is on the road to recovery

A sick kitten rescued from a drainage pipe is on the road to recovery and will soon be available for adoption. 

Mission Viejo Animal Services on October 6 received a report of the sick kitten at the entrance of Target off Alicia and the I5 freeway. When Animal Services Officer Nick Ross arrived on scene, he saw the kitten panting in the bushes near the entrance of the building.  

“It was around 90 degrees when I got there, and the heat reflecting off of the building felt like it was easily above 100 degrees,” Officer Ross said. 

The kitten – named Poppy – was clearly distressed, and when Officer Ross and Target employees approached her, she had just enough energy to run into a drainage pipe on the side of the building. The Target employees said they’d seen the kitten for weeks and tried to lure it but with no success. Officer Ross was able to pull Poppy out of the drain, and she was so weak she could barely lift her head.  

Poppy was taken to Mission Hills Pet Care Center and with the help of the Dedicated Animal Welfare Group (DAWG) and Dr. Kelly Wright, Poppy has been taking her first steps to recovery.   

She will be at the Mission Viejo Animal Services Center soon and is expected to be available for adoption within a week or so. For more information, contact 949-470-3045.