From Doncaster to Denmark – microchip details solve international missing moggy mystery

Ginger puss Zygfryd was taken in by Cats Protection’s Doncaster Branch after being found living as a stray at a car storage facility in Belton.

After scanning him for a microchip, volunteers managed to make contact with Zygfryd’s owner and were stunned to find them living in Denmark.

Volunteer Skye May said: “It turns out Zygfryd was a much-loved pet, and his owner had obtained a pet passport for him in readiness for moving to Denmark in June.

“Sadly, two weeks before the move he had gone missing, and the owner was forced to move without him.

“When we got in touch, they were absolutely thrilled to find he was alive and well, and quickly made arrangements for a friend to collect him from us.

“Because he already has a pet passport, he’ll now soon be on his way to Denmark for what we expect will be a very emotional reunion.

“It may be a bit of an unusual case, but it goes to show why microchips are so important – there’s no way we would have been able to find Zygfryd’s owner so easily had he not been microchipped.”

The happy reunion comes as Cats Protection renews calls for a change in the law to ensure that all owned cats, like dogs, are microchipped.

Microchipping is a safe, permanent and cost-effective method of identification which ensures cats can be reunited with their owner should they go missing. It means lost cats are not mistaken as strays and taken in by rehoming charities.

Jacqui Cuff, Cats Protection head of advocacy and government relations, said: “It’s always lovely to hear of stories where cats have been reunited with their owners, but most of these happy endings are only possible if a cat has been microchipped.

“Microchipping is an essential part of responsible pet ownership, and is already compulsory for dogs. This should now be extended to ensure all owned cats are microchipped, giving the same level of protection to keep them safe.”

Cats Protection is the UK’s largest cat charity, helping about 200,000 cats every year. To find out more, visit cats.org.uk

FROM THE EDITOR

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