So many kittens are born into lives of peril without guardians or hope, but a little kitten named Coal who was nearly among them in Mississippi will now be safe forever thanks to happenstance and compassionate hearts.

Coal’s mother had her kittens at a manufacturing plant in Winona for Caterpillar and Komatsu parts. Coal had sadly become separated from his mother and siblings. As this tiny black kitten crawled across the floor of the plant, he was nearly crushed beneath the wheels of a forklift, but the driver spotted him and abruptly stopped.

Thinking he had crushed him, Kenny Hobbs, who was driving the forklift, picked Coal up and brought him to his coworker, Cole Brown, who’s known for rescuing cats and kittens found at the plant, which draws them because the men who work there share food with them.

Coal turned out to be fine, and Hobbs declared that he loves animals more than anything and he was thankful to have stopped before hurting the kitten.

Brown’s wife Tammy also happens to be the coordinator for Shelter Homeless Animals Rescue Efforts (SHARE) of Grenada. She’s allergic to cats, so they called Doll Stanley, our Justice for Animals campaign director who works with them to rescue, foster, help guardians keep their animal companions, and transport animals to partners in the northeast for adoption.

Stanley will be fostering Coal until he is old enough to be placed in a loving home and we’re proud and grateful to tell you that it has been support from you that has saved Coal and thousands of other animals in need who we have spared from harm.

To find out more about how you can support our efforts in the Deep South, visit our Justice for Animals campaign and Hope Animal Sanctuary.