Lexington firefighter amazed at international attention over video of cat rescue

Feb. 28--Lexington firefighter Anthony "AJ" Johnson said he's amazed that a short Web video of him helping to save a cat at a recent fire earned him a live interview on Australian television this week.

It started with a Herald-Leader video of Johnson administering oxygen to a cat that survived a Feb. 17 house fire on Wallingford Court. The video made it onto television in Australia and drew a strong response.

"The video went global, and it was a huge story in Australia, the U.K. and the Philippines," Johnson said Friday. "It's incredible that it started here and traveled so far."

Prompted by the video's popularity, Australian TV producers called Lexington fire officials a little more than a week ago to arrange an interview with Johnson.

The interview was conducted Thursday afternoon at a studio in Louisville and was beamed by satellite directly to Australia, where it appeared live on Australia's national Today show. The show was broadcast Friday morning in Australia, which has a 15-hour time difference from Kentucky.

An Australian TV anchor asked Johnson about rescuing the cat and about Johnson's earlier involvement in saving Nubbin, a Jack Russell terrier that was badly injured in 2012. When Nubbin's penniless owner, Jessie Brothers, couldn't afford surgery for Nubbin, Johnson and another Lexington firefighter footed the bill. Johnson later helped find a home for Brothers, who died last September.

Johnson said he agreed to the interview mainly to promote the Lexington fire department and perhaps to help animals. He admits to being an inveterate animal lover.

The cat from Wallingford Court is recovering at the Lexington Humane Society, waiting to be reunited with its owners, Johnson said. Another cat that suffered burns in the fire also is doing well, he said.

The special oxygen masks that he and other firefighters used for the cats was bought by the Lexington Kennel Club. The masks are available on all the city's fire trucks, Johnson said.

"The point I really wanted to make is that pet rescues are really people rescues," Johnson said. "If we don't do something about an animal in trouble, someone who doesn't have any equipment or training will try to do something, and we will end up trying to rescue them. No one is going to just stand by and watch an animal suffer."

Jim Warren: (859) 231-3255.

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