(CN) Police refuse to rescue cat in pit

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Police refuse to rescue cat in pit

Xinhua

2006-12-27

 

Lanzhou -- Policemen and firemen in northwest China's Gansu Province refused to

provide assistance to an old man, who asked them to rescue two cats that had

been trapped in a pit for nine days.

 

" My cat and another one have been trapped in a deep pit for nine days. I tried

but couldn't get them out. Please help! " Deng Zixiu, the old man in the

provincial capital of Lanzhou, said in his call to the police hotline 110 and

the fire department.

 

But the replies were basically the same: We feel sorry for the cats, but we

can't help. It's not within our scope of business.

 

Deng said his cat named " Coffee " had been with him for three years. It was

missing for nine days until a neighbor found it trapped in a deep pit with

another cat.

 

He said he was sad at hearing the moanings of the cats, which nestled by a

corner of the pit, but could do nothing because the pit area was very slippery.

 

In the end, the neighbors lowered a long ladder into the pit and finally got the

two cats out.

 

Local residents are divided over the issue, with some accusing the policemen of

being unresponsive to animals' lives and some insisting that such calls have

added burden to the busy 110 police hotline.

 

A local newspaper has opened a special section for public discussion.

 

" I have deep sympathy for the cats, but I cannot send our men there because

first, it's not within our scope of business and second, we have only limited

resources, " said Wang Xinjian, an official of the Lanzhou police bureau.

 

" We receive 2,000 calls a day for help. We deal with only the most urgent and

important matters, " he added.

 

Wang said there will be no problem for the police to rescue the drowning persons

and persons in the danger of falling down a building, help find missing old man,

children and mentally handicapped persons, help out people in danger and take

emergency measures to get rid of threat to public security, personal and

property safety and public order.

 

" We will not have resources to handle these more important matters if we also

send people to save stranded cats, " said Wang, noting the police will notify

relevant departments to deal with it.

 

The fire department made a similar explanation.

 

There were more than 120 million calls to the police hotline last year,

including reports on 3.3 million criminal cases and 6.6 million cases of minor

offenses.

 

The hotline calls also included calls for addressing domestic arguments, unfair

taxi fares, leaking pipes and locked rooms. Some people even dialed the hotline

for breakfast delivery.

 

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2006-12/27/content_768867.htm