Kitten Rescued from Little Caesars Arena
Monday, May 8, 2017
By: Wendy Welch

Detroit's highly anticipated Little Caesars Arena won't open until the fall, but a six-month-old kitten wanted in on the action early.

Detroit, MI (May 8, 2017) –Detroit’s highly anticipated Little Caesars Arena won’t open until the fall, but a six-month-old kitten wanted in on the action early.

Construction workers noticed the feral black kitten wasn’t wearing a hardhat. But they didn’t just contact their supervisor—they wanted to save her.  So they reached out to a “Trap-Neuter-Return” volunteer—someone who humanely catches outdoor cats in live traps; takes them to a veterinarian to be spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and ear-tipped for identification; and releases them back to the area they know.

Of course, “Little Squeesars,” named after the area where she was found, couldn’t safely be returned to the construction site. She was taken to a Detroit area shelter. The shelter kept the kitten for a month, then informed the volunteer they would be euthanizing the kitten.

“I couldn’t let that happen,” said the volunteer. “These compassionate construction workers reached out to save her; how could I let them down by letting the kitten they’d rescued be put down?”

The volunteer contacted the Humane Society of Huron Valley (HSHV), whose Community Cat Coordinator found a safe, outdoor location for Little Squeesars.

“Returning unsocial cats to their original location, where they were thriving is a really important part of TNR,” says Cheryl Szkutnicki, HSHV’s Community Cat Coordinator. “But in cases where there is demotion or other direct threats like animal cruelty, we look for relocation options.”

Little Squeesars isn’t the first animal this year to be saved by concerned construction workers. Last month, HSHV responded to a call about 5 baby foxes on a demolition site in Dexter.

            [Read “Dexter Bulldozer Halts for 5 Baby Foxes"]

“As we just saw with the family of foxes, demolition and construction creates danger and displacement for animals that live outdoors. When private companies, compassionate individuals and humane organizations work together, we can often find positive solutions,” says Tanya Hilgendorf, HSHV’s President and CEO. “Sometimes it takes a little creativity and extra effort. But it’s always worth it.”

About The Humane Society of Huron Valley:

The Humane Society of Huron Valley, located in Ann Arbor, is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and relies solely on the generosity of our supporters to provide critical community programs and services. HSHV is an award-winning organization, recognized for our best practices and highest animal "save-rate" among all similar shelters in Michigan. Charity Navigator, the nation's top charity evaluator, awarded HSHV a 4-star ranking, the highest possible. The mission of HSHV is to promote the loving, responsible care of all animals in our community. HSHV is not affiliated with any other humane organization and does not receive funding from the United Way. More information can be found on HSHV’s website (hshv.org) and on our annual report (www.hshv.org/annualreport).

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