School Bus Fleet
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

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.

Nicole Schlosser
Nicole SchlosserFormer Executive Editor
November 24, 2014
Drivers rescue cat from bus engine

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.

2 min to read


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 recently found a permanent home with bus driver Leah Vandersluis. Photo by Westlake Animal Hospital.

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

School Bus Fleet graphic featuring Bill Pepping of CharterUP in a suit and tie, alongside the headline “Five Questions with Bill Pepping” and the CharterUP and School Bus Fleet logos.
Management•by Elora Haynes•October 30, 2026

5 Questions: How CharterUP Brought a Marketplace to Student Transportation

What does it take to bring a transportation marketplace into K-12? Hear firsthand what CharterUP has learned about the unique needs of schools and bus operators.

Read More →
School Bus Fleet graphic featuring the EverDriven logo and a laptop displaying the TripCentral trip tracking dashboard, with the headline “EverDriven Opens TripCentral Management Hub.”
Management•by Elora Haynes•October 29, 2026

EverDriven Expands TripCentral Transportation Management Platform to All Partner Districts

The platform provides school districts with real-time trip tracking, student transportation scheduling tools, and pickup and drop-off management capabilities.

Read More →
School Bus Fleet's 2026 School District Transportation Survey graphic features a smiling school bus driver leaning out of a yellow bus beside its extended stop arm, with the survey title and publication logo.
Management•Cover Story•by Amanda Huggett•October 28, 2026

6 School Transportation Trends to Watch: 2026 District Survey Results

School bus buying is up, fuel choices are shifting, and driver shortages persist. This and more in the latest K-12 public school survey, plus the largest fleets in the U.S.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Yellow Fairfax County Public Schools buses line up outside an elementary school, with the lead bus displaying its extended stop arm and flashing red lights.
Management•by Amanda Huggett•October 28, 2026

The 100 Largest School Bus Fleets in America: 2026 Rankings

Which public K-12 school districts are the largest in the nation in terms of bus fleet size? Here are the new standings of the top 100 district fleets.

Read More →
Blue graphic featuring the headline “EverDriven’s New Diesel Savings Calculator” and the School Bus Fleet logo over a background of diesel fuel pricing signs, with a calculator icon.
Management•by News/Media Release•October 22, 2026

EverDriven Launches Route Consolidation Calculator to Estimate Diesel Savings

As diesel prices hit record highs, the largest alternative transportation provider says a 10% route consolidation could save a 120-route district more than $78,000 a year in fuel alone.

Read More →
Black graphic with the headline “Zum, Generate Capital Expand Partnership,” the colorful Zum logo, and gold coin illustrations representing financing.
Management•by News/Media Release•October 15, 2026

Zum Secures Continued Financing Support for School Bus Expansion

Generate Private Credit has financed approximately $75 million in school bus deployments across three states, supporting more than 500 buses as Zum expands across the county.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
School Bus Fleet’s The Route video thumbnail featuring host Amanda Huggett and guest Sam Freshner, with the headline “Beyond Discipline: A Different Approach to Student Behavior on the School Bus.” Sponsored by IC Bus.
Sponsored•by Amanda Huggett•October 15, 2026

Beyond Discipline: A Different Approach to Student Behavior on the Bus

After implementing a dean of students program in Oregon, North Clackamas is seeing positive improvements. Here’s how it worked. The Route is brought to you by IC Bus.

Read More →
School Bus Fleet’s The Route podcast thumbnail featuring host Amanda Huggett and guest Sam Freshner, with the headline “A Different Approach to Student Behavior on the School Bus” over a yellow school bus background.
Management•October 14, 2026

A Dean of Transportation's Different Approach to Student Behavior on the School Bus

After implementing a dean of students program in Oregon, North Clackamas is seeing positive improvements on the bus. Here’s how it worked.

Read More →
Collage of NAPT ACTS 2026 highlights, including a speaker at the podium, a ribbon-cutting ceremony, attendees networking, and exhibitors demonstrating technology on the trade show floor.
Management•by Amanda Huggett•October 12, 2026

Inside NAPT ACTS 2026: Highlights from Louisville

From federal updates and student behavior strategies to new school bus technology and industry awards, see highlights from NAPT ACTS 2026 in Louisville.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
School Bus Fleet video thumbnail featuring 2026 School Bus Driver Hero Annette Brown smiling beside a yellow school bus, with the headline “Why School Bus Drivers Are Underrated Heroes” and the School Bus Driver Hero Award logo.
Management•by Staff•October 9, 2026

Meet the 2026 School Bus Driver Hero Winner: Annette Brown

We caught up with Wa-Nee Community Schools' Annette Brown on site at SBFX, where she was named the 2026 School Bus Driver Hero Award winner. Hear about her reaction, what she loves most about being a school bus driver, and more!

Read More →