A tiny kitten that got stuck in a fender in Ionia, Michigan, was freed on Independence Day. The brave officers arrived just in time to save the helpless creature.

As usual, the Ionia Department of Public Safety officers expected an emergency on a holiday. Still, they thought the calls were about fireworks, not animals that needed help. But when a worried citizen told them that a kitten was crying from inside a car, officers Chris Flanders, Randy Dankenbring, and Mike Cronk rushed to the scene.

Officer Chris Flanders told WZZM13 that they heard the cat cry out and meow a few times. “That’s when she realized there was a wild animal in her car’s engine.”

As soon as the police arrived, they saw that a furry animal was stuck inside. Since they didn’t know what kind of animal it was, they decided to take pieces out of the fender to figure out what it was. Last but not least, the officers saw a scared kitten inside. That day, when the temperature was over 93 degrees, the little kitten had lost a lot of water. More than that, the police thought it could have been there for hours.

Officer Flanders said that the cat seemed to have been in the car for a long time and had traveled an unknown distance, but it seemed to be quite a few miles. “Being in the wheel well made it look messy, tired, and dirty.”

The deputies gave the little cat some water, and it soon started to feel better. But they took it to a nearby shelter to learn more about it. They gave the small animal the name Turbo.

“The family who made the call got water right away, and the cat started drinking right away.” John Odette, who is a deputy director, said. “It’s a story that makes you feel good on the Fourth of July. It just shows that our officers are here to help the community, no matter how big or small the problem is. We’re glad it looks like the cat will be fine.”