All creatures need a bit of help sometimes and just because they may not be Instagram-worthy cute, doesn't mean they don't deserve a rescue.
I mean, rats can be cute, but there's a bit difference between one raised as a pet and a literal sewer rat.
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Firefighters Rescue Chubby Rat Who Got Stuck In A Manhole Cover
They may be the same species, but the sewer part is kind of a turnoff.
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Still, when Michael Sehr received a call at his professional animal rescue in Rhein Neckar, he didn't care that it was a sewer rat in need of rescue.
The rat had gotten stuck in a manhole cover.
The look on the rat's face is all of us trying to fit into our spring fashion after packing on the pounds in the winter.
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"She had a lot of winter flab and was stuck fast at her hip - there was no going forward or back," Sehr told local media, according to the BBC.
Sehr couldn't free her himself, so a team of eight volunteer firefighters joined in.
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Together, they lifted the manhole cover and propped it up on wedges, allowing Sehr to carefully work the rotund rodent free of her embarrassing predicament.
Some people questioned the need to waste resources just to save a pest.
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Sehr's response was, "Even animals that are hated by many deserve respect." Amen to that.
Like, I'm pretty sure the firefighters weren't ignoring a fire in favor of the fat rat, so let them help.
Once she was free, the rat was released back into the sewer.
Hopefully, she's learned a bit about spacial awareness and will think twice before trying to squeeze her thicc bod through small spaces. We all need to be aware of our winter pudge.
But the cuteness doesn't end there!
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Apparently, the squeaking victim was discovered by a little girl before being reported to the rescue.
While the rescuers worked hard to free the rat, she was making sure they got a proper thank you.
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Once the rat was freed, she presented Sehr with a drawing of the rat surrounded by hearts and the word "Thanks!" in German.
The idea of a little girl finding a trapped animal and being so concerned for its safety just makes me all warm inside.
It didn't matter what kind of animal it was.
We should all take a bit of inspiration from this story, both to not ignore a trapped creature just because it's "gross," but also to get some exercise, because those winter pounds aren't going to shed themselves.
h/t: BBC
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