Drivers rescue cat from bus engine
Two Westlake (Ohio) City Schools bus drivers help save the life of a cat who suffers a broken leg and tail after getting caught in a school bus engine. The drivers are raising money to cover the medical costs for her recovery, and one driver has adopted the cat.

Margie, shown here, was rescued from a school bus engine by two Ohio bus drivers. She is recovering from injuries, including a broken leg and tail. Photo by Westlake Animal Hospital.
Two bus drivers for Westlake (Ohio) City Schools were able to help save the life of a cat who was severely injured from getting stuck in a school bus engine on Nov. 12, and another driver gave her a permanent home.
Denise Wering was driving her bus route that morning when Marge Laskowski, another driver, radioed for her to check the back of her bus, according to a Westlake City Schools press release. When the drivers pulled over, they found a tail and a paw sticking out of the engine in the back of the bus, and discovered the 1-year-old, female cat was still alive, with its right front leg and the back of its neck stuck in the serpentine belt.
The Westlake City Schools transportation department called an animal control officer for help. The officer was able to free the cat from the engine and brought it to the Westlake Animal Hospital.
Megan Hoffman, a registered veterinary technician at the animal hospital, said the cat had a broken leg and she was able to stabilize her and amputate the broken leg. An ultrasound also revealed that the cat was pregnant with four kittens.
The drivers named the cat Margie, after the driver who found her.
Driver Leah Vandersluis said in the press release from the district that the drivers believe that Margie crawled into the engine in the transportation department parking lot and that she fell into the serpentine belt at some point during the ride.
The next day, Hoffman took Margie home to help her recover and deliver her kittens. However, due to the trauma, Margie lost her kittens on Nov. 18. Hoffman said in the release that Margie is more comfortable now and her recovery is going well, but they also discovered she has a broken tail that will need to be amputated.

Margie’s care has already cost the Westlake Animal Hospital about $1,800. The tail amputation and additional care will likely run between $600 and $800. The hospital is accepting contributions to its Good Samaritan fund to support Margie.
The transportation department has already collected more than $300 to donate to the fund for Margie.
Hoffman has been keeping the transportation department updated on Margie through text messages and invitations to visit Margie when she comes to the veterinary hospital.
On Monday, Westlake City Schools told SBF that Margie has found a permanent home with bus driver Leah Vandersluis.
A record of Margie’s progress can be found on the Westlake Animal Hospital’s Facebook page.
More Management

Transfinder Expands California Footprint with Multiple School District Wins
Six California school districts selected the company's routing platform and related transportation technology as Transfinder continues expanding its presence across the state.
Read More →NSTA's Curt Macysyn on Student Transportation History and What's Next
Hear from NSTA's executive director as we discuss student transportation's role in American history, federal regulation, driver recruitment, illegal passing, AI, and what might be next, in this Route interview.
Read More →NSTA on 250 Years of America and the Road Ahead for Student Transportation
Curt Macysyn joins The Route to discuss student transportation's role in American history, federal regulation, driver recruitment, illegal passing, AI, and the industry’s future. Sponsored by IC Bus.
Read More →
Photo Highlights: Inside the 2026 Michigan Association for Pupil Transportation Conference
Snapshots from the 2026 MAPT conference, where Michigan's school transportation professionals gathered for training, technology updates, awards, networking, and more.
Read More →
Zonar Launches Reimagined Bus Suite Web Portal
Can one platform replace your transportation software stack? Zonar says its new Bus Suite unifies routing, dispatch, field trips, GPS, and parent communication.
Read More →
Indiana Association Announces 2026 Award Winners
See who earned top honors at the 2026 School Transportation Association of Indiana conference, recognizing excellence in school transportation statewide.
Read More →
Student Transportation of America Acquires Massachusetts Contractor
Tremblay’s Bus Company and its 400-bus fleet joins the STA family of brands as the company grows its presence across the Northeast U.S.
Read More →
Michigan Association Announces 2026 Award Winners
See who earned top honors at the 2026 Michigan Association for Pupil Transportation conference, recognizing excellence in school transportation statewide.
Read More →Inside MAPT 2026: Michigan’s School Transportation Community Connects at Boyne Mountain
Check out highlights from the 2026 MAPT Summer Conference, where over 300 transportation pros gathered for training, networking, awards, and trade show.
Read More →
Summit School Services to Complete Fleetwide Samsara Technology Rollout
The company said outfitting its entire fleet with AI-powered safety and fleet management technology will strengthen student safety and operational efficiency across its local brands.
Read More →


