woodchux
Addicted to ArboristSite
Well I did my first cat rescue today. Was wondering how much is a standard charge for this service in your areas? Pretty easy money if you dont get scratched up.
Pet Rescues
- Thread starter woodchux
- Start date
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You used a big red arrow to get it down? Suprised they paid you.
Sprig
Addicted to ArboristSite
Cats go up, they usually can go down.........eventually. So what did ya do with gram' penny collection?
(still cleanin' up the mess here after timber's arrow remark, sheesh that were funny!)
(still cleanin' up the mess here after timber's arrow remark, sheesh that were funny!)
Aaction
ArboristSite Member
There was a guy killed yesterday in Victoria, Australia, trying to rescue an escaped cockatoo. The owner, 77 years old, fell from a ladder and injured his back. Then his 59 y.o. attempted the rescue and fell to his death.
I have never done a cat rescue before. My Dad has done them a few times. He usually just tells the customer to pay him whatever it's worth. He usually makes around $100 per climb for them.
I would do them for free if someone needed one down. But, I do LOVE cats.
-Matt
I would do them for free if someone needed one down. But, I do LOVE cats.
-Matt
TDunk
Addicted to ArboristSite
Well there was just a thread here a week or two ago and the guy was offered $1000 to get the cat down, but it was about 80ft. up sooooo........ I would say minimum of $100 if it was an easy climb. I've only done one cat rescue so i'm by no meens an expert on that.
$150, half that if it jumps out while I'm up there.
newbym
ArboristSite Member
Did one, it made me feel good...
I've only done one cat rescue, but if was for an 80+ year old man who invited me into his house for coffee afterwards and told me old sailing stories. I told him $50, and he was so happy to have his little "Pumpkin" back that he gave me $100. Hell, I would have told him it was on the house if the damn cat hadn't decided to literally go all the way to the top of the 80-85ft cedar tree.
I've only done one cat rescue, but if was for an 80+ year old man who invited me into his house for coffee afterwards and told me old sailing stories. I told him $50, and he was so happy to have his little "Pumpkin" back that he gave me $100. Hell, I would have told him it was on the house if the damn cat hadn't decided to literally go all the way to the top of the 80-85ft cedar tree.
upperlimits
ArboristSite Lurker
Iguana Rescue
I got called out to a womens place to rescue her pet iguana. It had climbed to the top of about a 60 some foot palm. I didn't start out scarred, but when that thing looked me in the eyes with his eyes the size of golf balls, I decided to put my gloves and glasses back on and prepare for the worse. I don't know who was more scared him or I. I got to the top and pulled him about as hard as I possibly could and stuffed him in a duffel bag. He was so scarred he dug his claws in and held on for life. The bag was huge and he still stuck out the zipper several feet. I lowered him down and receive a cheer from all the neighbors. I knew the young lady couldn't afford much so I lowered my price to $40.00. The memmory will last a life time.
I got called out to a womens place to rescue her pet iguana. It had climbed to the top of about a 60 some foot palm. I didn't start out scarred, but when that thing looked me in the eyes with his eyes the size of golf balls, I decided to put my gloves and glasses back on and prepare for the worse. I don't know who was more scared him or I. I got to the top and pulled him about as hard as I possibly could and stuffed him in a duffel bag. He was so scarred he dug his claws in and held on for life. The bag was huge and he still stuck out the zipper several feet. I lowered him down and receive a cheer from all the neighbors. I knew the young lady couldn't afford much so I lowered my price to $40.00. The memmory will last a life time.
Rftreeman
Addicted to ArboristSite
an old wise man once asked me "have you ever seen a cat skeleton in a tree?" to wit I replied "No, I have not"
I pulled one down at the beginning of the summer for a family. The kitten had been up the maple for three days. They got tired of hearing it cry for two nights while they slept on the back porch waiting for it to climb down.
It took an hour to get it to come to me and kept working its way to the end of a twenty foot branch, I brought up some treats the customer gave me and a cat carrier attached to my climbing line.
I finally got the sucker to come to me and lowered it down in the carrier. I was a little nervous about the knot slipping but it ended just fine. I got $100.00 bucks and bottle of Cabowabo tequila for the office manager that helped out.
Good times, good times...
It took an hour to get it to come to me and kept working its way to the end of a twenty foot branch, I brought up some treats the customer gave me and a cat carrier attached to my climbing line.
I finally got the sucker to come to me and lowered it down in the carrier. I was a little nervous about the knot slipping but it ended just fine. I got $100.00 bucks and bottle of Cabowabo tequila for the office manager that helped out.
Good times, good times...
TreeLogic
ArboristSite Member
Rescued another cat today...well kinda. This makes 15 total, and strangely enough, the only other pet I've rescued was also an iguana. That was a fun day. Locked my keys in my brand new truck and had to hang with, let's say, an "interesting family" til the locksmith came. Got the iguana down without incident but later the homeowners Rottweiler took a huge dump in the front yard and she stepped in it barefooted. Man that was stank!
So, today's cat was about 35' up a live oak which hung out over the river. 35' off the ground but it was low tide and the river bank dropped off another 10 or so ft, so 45' over the water. As a rule, most of the cats have been so happy to see me they've been pretty easy to get in my backpack. Not this one. Ol' Nitro was a hissin'! I was lucky to have a good tie in point that offered easy lateral movement out toward the end of this limb cause Nitro went out to the tips.
Long story short, and no I didn't shake the branch, the homeowners watched in horror as Nitro took a 45' dive that would've made a championship bellyflopper proud. I watched him get smaller and smaller until he hit the water with the worst "pimp slap" of a sound you ever heard. Poor cat thought he could fly. He tossed about for a second, swam to shore and ran up the bank. They finally found him under the porch, dried him off and fed him. It was cold today too but he's fine.
This one was for friends and I tried my best to do it pro bono, but I had $50 cash forced on me. Not complaining, just felt bad taking it. I usually charge $75-$150 depending on how high, how far, and how many band aids im wearing when I'm done.
Will
So, today's cat was about 35' up a live oak which hung out over the river. 35' off the ground but it was low tide and the river bank dropped off another 10 or so ft, so 45' over the water. As a rule, most of the cats have been so happy to see me they've been pretty easy to get in my backpack. Not this one. Ol' Nitro was a hissin'! I was lucky to have a good tie in point that offered easy lateral movement out toward the end of this limb cause Nitro went out to the tips.
Long story short, and no I didn't shake the branch, the homeowners watched in horror as Nitro took a 45' dive that would've made a championship bellyflopper proud. I watched him get smaller and smaller until he hit the water with the worst "pimp slap" of a sound you ever heard. Poor cat thought he could fly. He tossed about for a second, swam to shore and ran up the bank. They finally found him under the porch, dried him off and fed him. It was cold today too but he's fine.
This one was for friends and I tried my best to do it pro bono, but I had $50 cash forced on me. Not complaining, just felt bad taking it. I usually charge $75-$150 depending on how high, how far, and how many band aids im wearing when I'm done.
Will
I love rescuing cats. I too had one go kamakaze on me a few weeks ago. Thankfully it was fine.
I have charged between 100-300 depending on difficulty and how inconvenient it was for me to get there. I also once had a random neighbor pay me an extra 100!
The 300 dollar ones have been at the top of Italian Cypresses.
I have charged between 100-300 depending on difficulty and how inconvenient it was for me to get there. I also once had a random neighbor pay me an extra 100!
The 300 dollar ones have been at the top of Italian Cypresses.
TreeLogic
ArboristSite Member
Italian cypress...geez. How did they even get up there? Better yet, how did you get up there? Trying to picture it. Seems like you'd have to prune every other branch. Those trees look like you could ride 'em down to the ground like a bendy stalk of bamboo. Italian are the skinny ones and Leland are the thicker ones, right?
beastmaster
Addicted to ArboristSite
I have done a few cat rescues. I am recomended by several local company's, I am a sucker for any kind of animal in distress. I don't charge, but I will take a donation if offered.
Last Christmas eve I arrived to find the whole neighborhood around a street tree, fluffy(name changed to protect his idenity)was 25 ft up a ash. I explaned to the crowd the cat had to climb down backwards and if to scared to try gets stuck. I hooked three pole pruners together so I could put a rope above the cat. When the cat seen the pole pruner he ran head first down the tree into a little girls arm. I was a little embarrassed about being wrong about how he had to get down, but everyone was so happy they didn't seem to notice. The HO gave me 200.00 for scaring the cat out of the tree.
Last Christmas eve I arrived to find the whole neighborhood around a street tree, fluffy(name changed to protect his idenity)was 25 ft up a ash. I explaned to the crowd the cat had to climb down backwards and if to scared to try gets stuck. I hooked three pole pruners together so I could put a rope above the cat. When the cat seen the pole pruner he ran head first down the tree into a little girls arm. I was a little embarrassed about being wrong about how he had to get down, but everyone was so happy they didn't seem to notice. The HO gave me 200.00 for scaring the cat out of the tree.
Nemus Talea
ArboristSite Operative
Gas + drive time + golf ball + bigshot wear and tear fee for one shot.
(disclaimer: for amusement only, not promoting animal abuse.) Damn PETA lawyers.
Nemus Talea
ArboristSite Operative
Any tools of the trade for cat rescues beyond gloves, eye protection and a duffel bag?
Why am I thinking of a dog in a climb harness?
My girlfriend has a 4' iguana. I wouldn't touch him without welding gloves if he were scared and worked up,.. her scars tell that story. Perhaps lay a large ice / cold pack on an iguana for a while and he'd be easy to handle, being cold blooded and all.
Why am I thinking of a dog in a climb harness?
My girlfriend has a 4' iguana. I wouldn't touch him without welding gloves if he were scared and worked up,.. her scars tell that story. Perhaps lay a large ice / cold pack on an iguana for a while and he'd be easy to handle, being cold blooded and all.
TreeLogic
ArboristSite Member
Welding gloves actually aren't a bad idea. You'd have to carry them with you and put them on when you're ready to grab the cat. No way they'd grip the rope. Other than that i just wear a regular ol' backpack that hopefully I'll put the animal in.
Simon.O.
ArboristSite Lurker
I'm very much a reader here while I learn how tree work goes. Mainly the ropework.
I'm a shift working firefighter and we get to do all the cat out of tree jobs in town. I've done lots as part of the crew.
We usually get it done with a single pump ( 4 men) but once we had a 110' turntable ladder plus 4 guys turn up and the rescue tender (another crew of 4) for a chainsaw to make room for the TTL.
All done with 12 firemen 3 trucks and the cats owner came through with a few cold ales for us all.
We do it for love................but fresh baking or cold ales are nice too!
I'm a shift working firefighter and we get to do all the cat out of tree jobs in town. I've done lots as part of the crew.
We usually get it done with a single pump ( 4 men) but once we had a 110' turntable ladder plus 4 guys turn up and the rescue tender (another crew of 4) for a chainsaw to make room for the TTL.
All done with 12 firemen 3 trucks and the cats owner came through with a few cold ales for us all.
We do it for love................but fresh baking or cold ales are nice too!
imagineero
Addicted to ArboristSite
well... maybe we could work something out there. If you want to work for me and bring 12 guys and three trucks, I'll fix lunch for all of you, plus a couple cold cartons for the crew to share.
Shaun
Shaun
