A Fat German Rat Got Stuck In A Sewer Grate And The Photos Are Absolutely Perfect

Feb 27, 2019 by apost team

We might not all think of rats as animals we’d like to rescue, but we’re pretty sure this little guy was thankful for being saved!

The chubby urban rodent was in a pickle when a group of good samaritans decided to help

According to the BBC, the Berufstierrettung Rhein Neckar, a German Animal Rescue group, received a call from concerned citizens who noticed the chunky rat had gotten stuck in the hole of a sewage drain cover.

It looked like he had putten on a tad too much ‘winter weight’ and was not able to squeeze through the hole, causing him to struggle to wiggle himself out.

The rat clearly looks desperate but alas, unbeknownst to him, help was on its way!

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The volunteers from the rescue group did not take long to appear at the scene. Thankfully upon arrival, apart from being stuck, the rat was in pretty good condition health wise. Andreas Steinbach, the spokesperson for the rescue group told the Dodo that he was in a very good condition. 

Unfortunately for the little guy, despite the efforts of the group, it was proving to be impossible to get the rat out with the equipment they had at hand. It’s then when they realized that they were going to need backup.

"We weren't able to rescue the rat alone, so we called the volunteer firefighters," Steinbach told the Dodo.

Instead of trying to pull the rat out of the hole and risk injuring him, the firefighters had a different idea: To lift the sewer cover up and pull him from the bottom.

The two teams worked tirelessly in a team effort to save him and, fortunately, it worked. The rat was finally freed, got a quick check-up and then was released back into the sewer system.

According to Steinbach, before he walked away, it almost looked as though he sent a message to those who rescued him.

"He made a brief look back at us as if to say, 'Thank you — and yes, I know I need to go on a diet,'"

And believe it or not, the chubby little rat was not the only one who was happy with the outcome. Two children, who were part of the family who initially called the rescue services, greeted the rescue team and gifted them a picture they had drawn as a ‘thank you’.

Not everyone likes rats; in fact, the whole rescue effort might seem like a waste for some. Steinbach, however, disagrees:

"We make no difference about what kind of animal needs help. We are in animal rescue, not in pest control, we got some bad messages from people saying that rats are pests, but we got many more good messages and thanks from a lot of people," he told the Dodo.

We’re glad the rat is now safe, and we hope his experience inspired him to lose a few pounds!

What do you think of the team's efforts to rescue the little guy? Would you have also reported it to a rescue team? Let us know in the comments - and make sure to pass on this hilarious story to your friends and family.