Hi, I’m Lucas! 👋🏼

I’m originally from Brazil and have called Detroit home for more than 10 years now.

I didn’t grow up with animals. My family had allergies, so having pets simply wasn’t an option. But I’ve always loved them, and over the past few years, cats in particular somehow found their way into my life.

Professionally, I’m an engineer in the automotive industry. I’ve been working in the industry for more than 8 years and hold a master’s degree from the University of Michigan. My career has taken me through plenty of changes and opportunities to learn and grow.

After many life major challenges, I found myself in a place where I had the stability and energy to start putting some of my time toward something that felt meaningful outside of work.

And that’s where Stray Department was born. What started with helping a few cats has grown into something bigger: helping control the population of stray and community cats in our neighborhood, with a particular focus on Bagley and the surrounding areas of Detroit.

Through TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return), fostering, socialization, adoption, and community education, my goal is to help cats live healthier lives while also addressing the root of the problem: preventing more unwanted litters from being born.

I’m not a shelter. I’m not a rescue organization. I’m just one person who decided to do something about a problem I kept seeing around me. And apparently, one cat at a time turned into… a whole department. 😂

Welcome to Stray Department. 🐾