Fred the Undercover Kitty

Fred was an abandoned kitten rescued in Brooklyn in 2005, taken in as a foster by an assistant district attorney after he survived a serious bout of pneumonia. He might have lived an ordinary life had prosecutors not needed, of all things, a cat. They were building a case against a man posing as a licensed veterinarian, and to catch him in the act they required a genuine animal for an undercover sting. Fred was recruited for the role, and the operation succeeded: the bogus vet was arrested and later convicted.

For his part in the case Fred was named an honorary "undercover kitty" and became a small celebrity, earning a proclamation and even his own award for animal service. City officials used his story to promote pet adoption and responsible ownership, and Fred made public appearances as a genuinely charming ambassador for shelter cats everywhere.

His life was tragically short. In 2006 Fred slipped out of his foster home and was struck and killed by a car. The Brooklyn District Attorney's office, which had grown deeply attached to him, established an award in his name — the "Fred Award" — honouring animals and people who contribute to animal welfare, ensuring that a kitten who began life abandoned and sick is still remembered for the good he did.