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We love a good rescue story, especially when it involves cute kitties! Find out who this rescuer is and why the kitten found himself stuck in a ditch after the jump!

The poor little kitten in the photo above was sadly struck by a vehicle and landed in one of the roadside drainage ditches that are commonly found in Japan (commonly referred to as “gaijin traps” for their ability to catch pedestrian foreigners off guard). Unable to move, the injured kitten was trapped in the shallow water of the ditch. Luckily, a young man (whose dream is to become a firefighter) came to the kitten’s rescue, using an umbrella to scoop up the soaked feline and bring it to safety.

The photos were warmly received by Japanese internet users, many applauding the young man for his courage and quick-thinking. Reddit users were also treated to this heartwarming tale just one day ago. Most comments praised the clever rescuer and his impromptu tool, however, Reddit user Persica managed to momentarily soil the happy image: “if you moved the second picture the to left it would look like he dropped a kitten in water.” Redditor lastman1122 brought the comment to life:

▼ “The correct course of events”9kDoDtE

Poor baby kitty!!! We’re glad this was actually a rescue mission and not a terrible case of cat abuse as the mischievous Redditors suggest. Kuddos to this brave young man for his good deed!

Source: Byokan Sunday, Reddit
Featured image: Twitter (ni___yan07)