Valentine the cat's family reunion

Published on 06 January 2020

Pet owners are encouraged to keep their microchip details up to date after a recent local example of a pet owner being reunited with a cat that had been missing for five years.   Gannawarra Shire Council officers located Valentine, a silver tabby, wandering in the Cohuna township on 11 December 2019.   “Upon being taken to the Kerang pound for processing, a scan of Valentine’s microchip revealed that he had been classified as deceased, with his owner’s contact details still listed,” Mayor Lorraine Learmonth said.   “Council staff contacted Valentine’s owner, who explained that he went missing about five years ago when their family was visiting relatives in Cohuna.”   Local relatives collected Valentine from Council’s Kerang Customer Service Centre on 19 December 2019, with Valentine returning to his suburban Melbourne home the weekend before Christmas.   “Valentine’s reunion with his family is another example of how important it is to have your pet microchipped,” Mayor Learmonth said.   “Microchip records can be accessed by any local council or veterinary service in Australia, so it pays to keep your pet’s records up to date whenever you move or change your phone number.”

 CAPTION: Council Local Laws Officer, Jeff Hogg (right) handed Valentine the cat to a relative of the cat's owner on 19 December 2019.