A cat, presumed a stray after being turned in to an Oregon humane society, received a happy ending after the microchip connected him to his owner six months later.
Rogue Valley Humane Society in Grants Pass recently had someone bring in a cat named Lazlo. The man who brought in Lazlo, along with another feline, told the humane society the cats lived in a hotel with him.
He originally took them in after an elderly gentleman who was housing the two passed away, the humane society’s director, Margaret Varner, told Newsweek. But realizing a hotel room was not enough for the cats, he hoped someone could give them a better home.
The humane society scanned the cats for a microchip, which they do twice for every animal that comes in, and fate revealed Lazlo had an owner missing him for over six months. A quick call connected the cat to a woman, who then passed along the message to her ex-husband. The news sent him “over the moon,” and within two days, he picked the cat up.
Varner said the owner feared the worst after a windstorm blew the door open and the indoor-only cat escaped. He thought Lazlo was either injured or passed, although he held onto hope all those months.
Rogue Valley Humane Society discovered a puncture wound on the cat’s neck and provided him with immediate medical treatment and antibiotics. Otherwise, the owner sent a letter with a positive update.
He shared that within 45 minutes of returning home, Lazlo rediscovered his favorite water bowl. He spent a few hours resting and then checking everything was where it belonged. Before long, Lazlo napped on the owner’s lap and then raced back to bed when nighttime rolled around.
Lazlo showed no signs of sickness or side effects. And 24 hours after being home, he went “back to normal.”
The humane society shared the exciting news on Facebook on August 10, and followers celebrated the reunion.
“Great news, so happy for you both,” one person said.
“Chips really do work!” another commenter wrote.
Varner said this story proves the importance of microchipping pets. The original owner lived on the other side of town from where Lazlo was found.
“You have to take into consideration there might have been a mailman, UPS truck, and the kitty could have jumped into an engine compartment and hitched a ride to another part of town,” Varner said.
She stressed it is crucial for owners to get microchips for their pets and keep them up-to-date. She realizes a microchip is not always cost-effective for owners. In lieu of it, she suggested a breakaway collar with contact information. Always use a breakaway for safety reasons that will allow the cat to get free if ever stuck.
Every time a pet comes into the humane society, they scan twice for a microchip. First, when they’re dropped off and then again during surgery. While redundant, it allows them to double-check and ensure these surrendered pets do not belong to anyone.
“Not too often do kitties get returned to owners, so this story warms our heart,” she said. “We know we have done our jobs thoroughly.”
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