Watch the man save the cat!
Video credit: MY NEWS TV
The story of what happened to Maurice German, who works for Verizon, illustrates why the phrase “no good deed goes unpunished” exists.
German was on duty in a Port Richmond neighborhood in Pennsylvania last Saturday when a local requested help from him to rescue a cat named “Momma” who had been stranded on top of a telephone pole. According to CBS Philly, the cat had been stuck there for around 12 hours.
German agreed and used the boom lift to get to the top as residents took videos of the rescue. The cat was safely returned amid applause from the grateful residents.
However, praise was soon to turn into outrage after Verizon decided to suspend German for 15 days for what he did, saying that the company’s vehicles and equipment were not meant to be used in the area where he operated.
Rich Young, a Verizon spokesperson, told CBS Philly: “We take no joy in this job action.
“However, we’re committed and responsible for keeping our employees and customers safe while working in a particular area.”
The telecommunications giant said that its field technicians are required to undergo safety training exercises with the goal of keeping its workers and customers safe.
He added: “Unfortunately, while this employee’s goal was admirable, he potentially put his life and those around him in jeopardy.
“While our actions may not be popular, it’s in the best interest of our employees and the communities we serve.”
However, Young said that Verizon will be making a donation to the Pennsylvania SPCA in Fishton as a show of support for the charity’s animal rescue efforts.
In an interview with CBS, Amanda Boyce, a resident of Port Richmond, said that one of her neighbors unsuccessfully attempted rescue from 12:30 am to 1:30 am on Saturday morning.
The cat’s owner already called the fire department, animal rescue, and the telephone company to request for help but another resident found German in the area and approached him for help.
But despite German’s good intentions, Verizon still suspended him.
In response, two GoFundMe pages were set up in order to raise the amount that would have matched Germans’ salary for 15 days if he wasn’t suspended.
One was started by colleague Keith Morales, writing in the description: “The $4,650 goal is the equivalent of the 15 days (3 weeks) pay that Maurice will forgo for simply being a human being looking to help one of our 4 legged friends.
“Thank you in advance for your donation, and please remember that no donation is too small.”
Morales’ page already managed to raise $2,478 of a $4,000 goal in just 17 hours while the other page has raised $440 out of a $2,400 target.
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