Amsterdam will soon begin installing hundreds of ‘wildlife exit sites’ along its canals to help small animals rescue themselves after falling in.
The devices, called ‘kitty steps’ by some, are intended to overcome the high banks of the canals that make getting out difficult. In the first six months of this year, according to animal advocates, 19 cats drowned in the canals.
Amersfort, another Dutch city, has already installed 300 of the devices along its waterways.
However, the steps are too small to help with another drowning problem: An average of 18 people drown in Amsterdam’s canals each year. These drownings often involve men, late at night, and are sometimes linked to intoxication and falling while urinating.
