Thanks to some hardworking volunteers and a microchip, a cat that vanished a decade ago has been reunited with his family.
Ten years ago, two-year old Oliver escaped from his family's Lake Zurich, Illinois home. His owners feared the worst, and resigned themselves to the fact that they'd likely never see little Oliver again.
Quite the opposite turned out to be true.
On the evening of Saturday January 27, 37 miles away from Lake Zurich, a group of volunteers who trap stray cats to spay and neuter them saw a security guard feeding a brown tabby.
Kim Vonesh was among the volunteers. She spoke to the security guard, who had been feeding Oliver for six years.
Vonesh and the other volunteers collected Oliver and several other strays. They transported the cats to the PAWS Chicago animal shelter. At the shelter, employees discovered that Oliver had been microchipped. They quickly contacted Oliver's family.
On Monday, January 29, Oliver and his owner, Laura Kleban, just 17 years old when Oliver disappeared, were reunited after a decade apart.
"You're just as big as I remember," Kleban said to her cat.
Vonesh told CBS Chicago that Oliver's story is a perfect example of why pet owners should microchip their dogs and cats, even if they're indoor pets.
What do you think of Oliver's amazing homecoming? Let us know in the comments section!
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