Pets are a part of the family. Any pet owner can tell you they care for their fur baby as much (or more!) than any mere human-skinned relative. Because we love and cherish our pets, it’s important to do anything in our power to protect them. Although certain things like micro-chipping may not seem necessary— the following story goes to show how important it really is.
Ten years ago, in 2008, the Kleban family’s beloved cat Oliver somehow managed to run away. Before his disappearance, Oliver had spent two years living with the family, but now, all of a sudden, it was like he had simply vanished.
The family searched extensively for their beloved cat, exploring every corner of their Lake Zurich community. As days turned into weeks turned into months, however, they soon started to think that Oliver would not be coming home.
Kim Vonesh, a cat volunteer, told CBS Chicago, “The owner happened to see a brown tabby that looked like Oliver on the side of the road that got hit by car, and she just immediately thought of the worst.”
At the time of Oliver’s disappearance, Laura Kleban was only 17 years old. As the young woman was approaching her 30s, she was surprised to get a call from someone saying they had found Oliver— a whole TEN YEARS after he had run away.
It turns out Vonesh had come across Oliver as she was patrolling for stray cats in Chicago’s River North neighborhood— 37 miles from where the friendly tabby went missing. Her and other volunteers had heard that a local security guard had been feeding a group of stray cats, and, to the Keblans’ surprise, Oliver was among them.
“[The security guard] was like ‘Hey, I think I can just grab him and put him in a trap because I’ve been feeding him for six years,'” Vonesh recalled.
The volunteers immediately brought Oliver to the Peoples Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), where staff realized he had a microchip. When employees scanned the chip, the Keblans’ information immediately came up.
When Laura received the call saying Oliver had been located ten years later, the young woman was no doubt joyful. As she picks her cat up for the first time in ten years, she tells him, “You’re just as big as I remember!”
Vonesh said it feels amazing to be a part of such an emotional reunion. Kleban adds, “They’re amazing… You guys are just like heroes.”
Check out the story below, and let this be a reminder of the importance of microchipping cats.
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