Man Rescues 1-Lb. Kitten from Busy New York Street After She Is Tossed Out of a Car Window

The cat, named Paradise, is estimated to be 5 weeks old

A newborn kitten gets to live to see another day thanks to the heroic actions of one man.

Joseph Logiudice was stopped in traffic earlier this month, when someone threw the small cat out of their car window and into the middle of the lane, according to a press release from the Dutchess County SPCA (DCSPCA) obtained by PEOPLE.

“I'm not sure if nobody else noticed or just didn't care, but I couldn't live with watching such a small helpless creature get run over,” Logiudice said. “It wasn't even a decision, I just acted because I knew I could help.”

Getting out of his car on the three-lane East-West Arterial, which is one of the busiest streets in Dutchess County, New York, Logiudice grabbed the kitten and placed her in his car.

The animal later disappeared, however, Logiudice eventually found her in his dashboard. "I started to think I was crazy and had imagined the whole thing," he said.

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After his daring rescue, Logiudice determined that the DCSPCA would be the best place to bring the kitten to receive aid.

“I decided that would be the best idea because maybe they could coax her out with food, and my car wouldn't have to be dismantled. I entered the address into my GPS and headed off," Logiudice said.

According to the DCSPCA, their team members spent half an hour attempting to get the cat out of the car’s dashboard. Once she was removed safely, they named her Paradise after Meat Loaf’s 1977 song "Paradise by the Dashboard Light."

Paradise — who is estimated to be 5 weeks old and weighs just more than 1 pound — is currently in foster care. She will need to reach 2 pounds, which will happen around eight to 10 weeks, before she can be spayed and made available for adoption.

“We’re so grateful for Joseph’s quick actions in saving Paradise,” DCSPCA Executive Director Lynne Meloccaro said in a statement. “It’s hard to imagine anything more terrifying and dangerous for a little kitten than being dropped onto a busy roadway. Because of Joseph, Paradise now knows the love and protection she, and every animal, deserves.”

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