When the phone rang on Tuesday, a resident of Pont-Rémy in the Somme region of France had no idea what news she was about to receive. On the other end of the line was the Buigny-Saint-Maclou SPA. They told her that a cat had been found, and his microchip identified her as the owner.
At first, she was confused. Then they said the cat's name: Rio. Suddenly, the memories and a hope she thought was long gone came flooding back.
Four long years of searching
Four long years had passed since Rio, her adorable cat, had vanished without a trace. At the time, according to the newspaper Ouest France, his family had moved heaven and earth to find him. ”For weeks, we searched for him,” the owner's cousin told the Journal d’Abbeville.
They put up posters in neighbouring towns and made appeals on social media, but all their attempts were in vain. As time went on, the family eventually had to accept the painful truth: they would probably never see their little companion again.
The miracle of the microchip
So, where had Rio been all this time? While the beginning of his journey remains a mystery, the end of his adventure was much happier. For several months, a resident of the nearby town of Cambron had been noticing a stray cat. She took pity on him and started feeding him and looking out for him.
It was this kind soul who eventually decided to take him to the SPA. Thanks to his microchip, he was immediately linked back to his family. It’s a wonderful story that proves, once again, just how essential microchipping is for our pets.