The Outagamie County Highway Department has been recognized for its role in rescuing a dozen cats trapped in an abandoned van on a hot day last month. On May 26, four highway workers spotted the van off I-41 at County Highway N in Little Chute and immediately opened the vehicle, then alerted authorities and transported the 12 cats to a local shelter.

Compassionate Action Award

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has awarded the Outagamie County Highway Department a Compassionate Action Award for their quick thinking and compassionate action in rescuing the cats. Many of the cats have since been adopted, according to PETA.

PETA encourages everyone to be a hero for animals by always keeping an eye out and taking immediate action when they see an animal trapped in a hot car. On a 70-degree day, the temperature inside a parked car can soar to 99 degrees in 20 minutes, and on a 90-degree day, the interior temperature can reach as high as 109 degrees in just 10 minutes.

Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.