Philadelphia Man Nabs ‘Hero to Animals Award’ for Cat Rescue

Maurice German Honored by PETA—and Suspended by Employer—for Saving Terrified Cat Stuck on Utility Pole

For Immediate Release:
March 28, 2019

Contact:
Audrey Shircliff 202-483-7382

For rescuing a cat who was stuck atop a utility pole for 12 hours and reuniting her with her relieved guardian, PETA is sending a Hero to Animals Award to Philadelphia resident and Verizon employee Maurice German, who was suspended for three weeks without pay for saving the cat. PETA also sent a letter to Verizon urging the company to reverse his suspension.

“We need more people like Maurice German, who’s a hero for pulling this petrified cat to safety—and his selflessness and swift action should be lauded, not punished,” says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. “PETA is thrilled to recognize this compassionate citizen and is calling on Verizon to reverse his grossly unwarranted suspension immediately.”

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—opposes speciesism, which is a human-supremacist worldview. The group advises guardians to keep their animal companions safely indoors and not to leave them unattended or allow them to roam free outdoors, where they may be stolen or injured. Guardians should also be sure to have their animal companions spayed or neutered in order to help control the number of homeless dogs and cats, who are at risk of contracting communicable diseases, being hit by cars, being abused by cruel humans, or getting trapped in dangerous places.

German will receive a framed certificate, and PETA’s letter to Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg is available upon request.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.