If you live in Alberta — and especially the Edmonton region — then you might have heard about poor Milo the cat, and how Chipps Tree Care arrived just in time!
Stacy Ryzuk lives on an acreage north of Adrossan, Alberta, and her cat Milo often likes to explore the great outdoors, nap in the sun on the grass, and climb tall trees. Well, in April of this year, Milo certainly climbed a tree — and one that was perhaps taller than any other she’d climbed before. When she didn’t return home as normal, Stacy began to worry about where she could be. Luckily, she spotted her cat high up in the branches of an 80-foot tree on her property — so high, in fact, that she was petrified of coming back down again.
This was extra troubling for Stacy because Milo was pregnant with a litter of kittens! Despite offering food and water at the bottom of the tree, Milo still stubbornly refused to make the great descent. As any good pet owner would, Stacy began looking around for help. Her first thought was to call the SPCA; as an animal welfare association, it would make sense that they’d offer a way to help retrieve her cat. But they claimed that they didn’t have the tools or ability to reach such a height. Stacy then called the Humane Society, but once again, they weren’t able to provide assistance. Finally, Stacy reached out to the Strathcona County fire department, but despite the popular notion of firefighters climbing trees to save kitties, they had to say no — no truck could gain access to the tree-filled acreage and get near Milo’s perch.
A few days passed, with Milo clinging to a branch and terrified by the height, with no help in sight. Breakfast Television Edmonton covered the story and got many more people concerned about Milo’s fate. This in turn triggered a social media blitz to help get Stacy in touch with someone who could help. Before she even picked up the phone to get in touch with an arborist — likely the only professional who could actually save the day — we were on the job and ready to help Milo find her way to solid ground!
Our Field Operations Manager and long-time Chipps Tree Care arborist Peter LaRue happily shimmied his way up the tree, grabbed Milo at the 65’ level, and safely spirited her back to safety (and to Stacy’s grateful arms). Interviewed by the local news, Peter shrugged off the good deed, saying it’s all about “serving the community.”
“I’m able to do it,” he said, “So to just sit back and not do it? I couldn’t live with myself!”
It’s with that kind of community investment, humility, and full-heartedness that we approach all our Edmonton tree care activities. We’ve been proud to serve Albertans for all kinds of tree-related assistance for many years, and each time we head out on a job, we know we’re investing in both strong communities and a strong, lasting ecological legacy. As this is our home, too, we want to ensure healthy ties to the natural environment and make sure we’re a force for good in the region!
So get in touch for both boring pruning jobs and the most daring missions, and we won’t let you down!
