This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
A kitten emerged Saturday evening from the Herriman fire, scorched with third-degree burns on all his paws and singed whiskers.
A firefighter who spotted the 9-week-old domestic long-hair wandering charred land near Rose Canyon Road plucked the kitten from the burned area and took him to the Ching Farm and Rescue Sanctuary.
Now dubbed Phoenix, the kitten was transferred to the Community Animal Welfare Society (CAWS) of Salt Lake City and admitted to Wilson Veterinary Hospital on Monday morning. He is one of at least 100 pets rescued from wildfires in Utah this summer, according to Dr. Warren Hess of the Utah Emergency Animal Response Coalition.
Dr. Jim Wilson said Phoenix has third-degree burns on all his paws, but besides singed whiskers and fur is doing well and most likely will recover nicely.
He will be cared for at Wilson Hospital for a few days until his condition can be better evaluated with X-rays.
Faith Ching of the sanctuary received Phoenix from her husband, Michael, around 7 p.m. Saturday. A firefighter told Michael that the owner of the kitten is unknown, and that Phoenix could have been part of a litter born to a stray cat.
Phoenix is now a foster animal of Salt Lake County Animal Services and will be up for adoption in five days if an owner doesn't come forward.
"We're not out there actively searching for an owner," said Janita Coombs, volunteer for CAWS. "I'm not sure if he has an owner that is interested him."
Phoenix's mother and siblings are most likely dead, according to Ching.
Coombs said she has already fielded interest from the community in adopting Phoenix.