San Francisco

SF Fire Station Workers Campaign to Keep Pet Cat

After anonymous complaint, the station was told to get rid of Edna, and one employee ends up adopting her

Fire crews at Station 49 in San Francisco were told to get rid of their pet cat after an anonymous complaint, and now one of the station workers has adopted Edna.

In a story first reported on SFGate, the station was given a Monday deadline to find a new home for Edna, a feral cat that first appeared at the station four years ago and has since become a part of the station family, according to station employees.

Edna got a lot of love on social media from users who felt she should be allowed to stay at the station. But on Monday, the fire department released a statement, saying in part: "Having the cat in the facility compromised the sterility of supplies, equipment and pharmaceuticals used on patients."

Staff at the station, which is the department's ambulance division, have shared images and stories of Edna via Instagram @fire_cat_edna as well as other social media (#ednastays), and the employees over the weekend asked users for help, with the hope they would be able to persuade their managers to let Edna stay.

The station workers said Edna wasn't around any of the equipment, food or living quarters at the station, and she was fully up to date on her shots and veterinary visits.

The employees on Sunday were "asking people to make some noise so we can put up a decent fight to keep one of our valued members," they said.

The local fire union said it didn’t receive any formal complaints from members about Edna. But it appears the anonymous complaint came from a member of the department and was less about a cat and more about how people are treated when there are concerns about prejudice and safety.

NBC Bay Area's Sam Brock contributed to this story.

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