JURUPA VALLEY (CBS) —  A 2-month-old kitten that had to be rescued from a drain pipe by Riverside County firefighters is ready for a new home.

According to Department of Animal Services spokesman John Welsh, the kitty went up for adoption earlier this week.

“We had several people call saying they wanted to adopt the little dude,” Welsh said. “But no one has actually come to the shelter in person. He’s now ready for a home.”

The feline was discovered on the afternoon of Dec. 10 by a Jurupa Valley auto repair shop owner who heard the distressed kitty’s meows. He looked into a pipe and saw the baby cat was jammed, prompting him to carry the pipe to the Western Riverside County Animal Shelter to see if staff there could free him, Welsh said.

After a half-hour of failed attempts, animal control officers contacted the fire department, and an engine crew from station 16 responded, deploying industrial saws to break down the pipe.

The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals recognized the crew’s efforts by bestowing them with the organization’s Compassionate Fire Department award — a framed certificate of thanks — along with a box of vegan chocolates for the entire firehouse to enjoy.

Anyone interested in adopting the cat should contact the shelter at (951) 358-7387, or pay a personal visit to the facility, located at 6851 Van Buren Blvd. in Jurupa Valley.

Prospective adopters should ask to speak with Jackie Schart.

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