'We don't know how she survived for 5 days': Piper the pipe kitten rescued

MILWAUKEE (CBS58) — You might remember this wide-eyed and confused kitten after she was rescued from a sewer pipe on 73rd and Vienna.

At just four weeks old, this curious little kitten got into some trouble.

"Someone said there was a kitten in a pipe, and they needed help," said Janelle Westbrook, Dog Coordinator, Chained Dogs MKE. "They had reached out to the fire department, the police department, DPW, the sewer department, everyone they could, and everyone was like yeah there's nothing we can do, we can't help."

That's when Westbrooke stepped in.

"We were there until almost 11:30 trying to get her out using catch pulls, food but then ended up coming back the next morning and I kinda came back with the tools that we needed to just dig down to the pipe all the way to where the bend was because I was like I don't think we will get here the other way because there was a 90-degree bend in the pipe so at that point I was like let's just dig all the way to the bottom and cut the pipe," Westbrook explained.

The next morning, they started digging.

"After we finally got down to where the pipe was the fire department came and they ended up helping cut the pipe at that point and we were able to get out with more food," said Westbrook.

After 16 long hours, Westbrook was the one who finally pulled her to safety.

"To me, it was just relief I don't have words for it honestly I was just glad she was out. She was stinky, she smelled really bad. I think that was the first thing I said was oh you stink," Westbrook recalled.

Chained Dogs MKE live-streamed the rescue, and people quickly took to the comments saying she should be named Piper. Once the shock of her experience wore off, Westbrook took Piper to the vet.

"When she perked up a little bit, she looked really good. She was eating, drinking. We took her to the vet they said she looked great, so we just kept her at her normal care," Westbrook explained.

Westbrook says Piper was stuck in that pipe for 5 days

"We don't know how she survived for 5 days," said Westbrook.

Piper has been with a foster since she was too young to be adopted, as for what is next for Piper...

"Keep growing, keep playing, keep being crazy, and get adopted and hopefully find a loving family that will be able to take care of her and let her have fun," said Westbrook.

Megan Jordan is a board member and foster coordinator with Chained Dogs MKE she says Piper is a success story, but she wants you to know, there is an animal crisis in Milwaukee.

"Overbreeding, lack of spay and neuter so that would be the first thing is to make sure your pets are spayed and neutered. Then it goes to finances there are a lot of resources that go into owning an animal. So we are here to help provide those resources to pet owners in need," Jordan explained.

Chained Dogs MKE has a long list of adoptable dogs in foster care, which is where you'll find Piper too - though right now, she's too young to be adopted.

until she's ready to find a forever home--

"Keep growing, keep playing, keep being crazy, and get adopted and hopefully find a loving family that will be able to take care of her and let her have fun," said Westbrook.

Things are looking up for Piper, the little kitten who was rescued from the pipe, and given a second chance.