Fred the Undercover Kitty
Encyclopedia
Fred the Undercover Kitty (May 2005 - August 10, 2006) was a domestic shorthaired cat
who gained fame for his undercover
work with the New York Police Department and the Brooklyn
District Attorney
's Office in the arrest of a suspect posing as a veterinary care provider.
, New York
. In September 2005, he was rescued by Animal Care & Control of New York City
, suffering from severe pneumonia and a collapsed lung. Fred was adopted by assistant district attorney Carol Moran, as part of a foster care program run by Animal Care & Control of New York City, and was nursed back to health.
Fred and his brother George were named after Fred and George Weasley, the prankster brothers in the Harry Potter
series of novels created by J.K. Rowling.
. In May 2007, Vassall pleaded guilty to the charges of fraud and practicing veterinary medicine without a licence. As a result of his plea he was sentenced to probation and mandatory psychiatric treatment.
On May 18, 2006, Fred was presented with a Law Enforcement Appreciation Award by Brooklyn district attorney Charles J. Hynes.
Fred was later honored on July 8, 2006, at "Broadway Barks 8!", the New York City Theater District’s dog and cat adopt-a-thon
benefit
hosted by Mary Tyler Moore
and Bernadette Peters
. He was presented with the Mayor’s Alliance Award, which is given to remarkable animals.
and was struck and killed by a car. Fred was 15 months old.
Domestic shorthaired cat
A domestic shorthaired cat is a cat fancy term used to describe a shorthaired cat that does not have a pedigree or belong to a recognized cat breed...
who gained fame for his undercover
Undercover
Being undercover is disguising one's own identity or using an assumed identity for the purposes of gaining the trust of an individual or organization to learn secret information or to gain the trust of targeted individuals in order to gain information or evidence...
work with the New York Police Department and the Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
District Attorney
District attorney
In many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...
's Office in the arrest of a suspect posing as a veterinary care provider.
Early life and adoption
Fred was born in the spring of 2005 in BrooklynBrooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. In September 2005, he was rescued by Animal Care & Control of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, suffering from severe pneumonia and a collapsed lung. Fred was adopted by assistant district attorney Carol Moran, as part of a foster care program run by Animal Care & Control of New York City, and was nursed back to health.
Fred and his brother George were named after Fred and George Weasley, the prankster brothers in the Harry Potter
Harry Potter
Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
series of novels created by J.K. Rowling.
Law enforcement career and honors
In February 2006, Fred was enlisted by the Brooklyn District Attorney’s office as an undercover secret agent, posing as a would-be patient to help the NYPD apprehend Steven Vassall, a Brooklyn man suspected of acting as a veterinarian without proper license or training. Working with human undercover detective Stephanie Green-Jones, Fred was bait in a February 3, 2006, sting operation to apprehend Steven Vassall, who was charged with unauthorized veterinary practice, criminal mischief, injuring animals and petty larcenyLarceny
Larceny is a crime involving the wrongful acquisition of the personal property of another person. It was an offence under the common law of England and became an offence in jurisdictions which incorporated the common law of England into their own law. It has been abolished in England and Wales,...
. In May 2007, Vassall pleaded guilty to the charges of fraud and practicing veterinary medicine without a licence. As a result of his plea he was sentenced to probation and mandatory psychiatric treatment.
On May 18, 2006, Fred was presented with a Law Enforcement Appreciation Award by Brooklyn district attorney Charles J. Hynes.
Fred was later honored on July 8, 2006, at "Broadway Barks 8!", the New York City Theater District’s dog and cat adopt-a-thon
Pet adoption
Pet adoption usually refers to the process of taking guardianship of and responsibility for a pet that a previous owner has abandoned or released to a shelter or rescue organization...
benefit
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
hosted by Mary Tyler Moore
Mary Tyler Moore
Mary Tyler Moore is an American actress, primarily known for her roles in television sitcoms. Moore is best known for The Mary Tyler Moore Show , in which she starred as Mary Richards, a 30-something single woman who worked as a local news producer in Minneapolis, and for her earlier role as...
and Bernadette Peters
Bernadette Peters
Bernadette Peters is an American actress, singer and children's book author from Ozone Park, Queens, New York. Over the course of a career that has spanned five decades, she has starred in musical theatre, films and television, as well as performing in solo concerts and recordings...
. He was presented with the Mayor’s Alliance Award, which is given to remarkable animals.
Later life
Following the sting operation Fred began to receive training as a therapy animal, with the purpose of becoming a teaching-animal in the district attorneys office's "Legal Lives" program. Here, he would be taken into classrooms to help teach children how to treat and care for animals. The owner also received offers from animal talent agencies for him to have spots in television commercials.Death
Fred died on August 10, 2006 when he escaped from his home in Queens, New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and was struck and killed by a car. Fred was 15 months old.