Animal Control Worker 'Puts on Detective Hat' to Reunite Cat Missing 11 Years with His Family
The cat is now back "with a family who still loves him to this day," Animal Care and Protective Services in Jacksonville, Florida, shared
The saying goes, "If it's meant to be, they'll come back to you." That's precisely what happened with Derek the cat and his family.
After their cat went missing 11 years ago, a Florida family got an unbelievable call — their beloved pet had been found thanks to an animal code enforcement officer working with Jacksonville's Animal Care and Protective Services (ACPS).
According to a Facebook post from ACPS, a Good Samaritan found a sick feline and reported the case to animal control. Animal Code Enforcement Officer Alfredson responded to the call and picked up the feline.
The officer soon discovered that the 13-year-old cat was microchipped, but unfortunately, the registration and contact information loaded on the chip was incorrect.
Officer Alfredson did not let this obstacle stop her from figuring out the cat's identity. Instead, she "put on her detective hat," ACPS shared.
"The team at ACPS is trained to use every resource available when researching microchips," the agency said on social media.
"She was able to obtain information that the microchip was implanted by Jacksonville Humane, so she reached out to our friends at JHS and was provided the owner information that they had from 2010," ACPS added in its post.
Although the phone number associated with the owner was no longer in service, Alfredson was determined to find another way to reach the cat's family.
"Officer Alfredson utilized the address provided by JHS to search JEA records and found a different phone number attached to the address," ACPS explained. "The number worked, but was it for the owner of the cat named Derek from over a decade ago??"
Related: Missing Cat Reunites with Family After Using Home Doorbell Camera and Calling Out for 'Mom'
Alfredson did not give up hope. She left a message for Derek's owners describing the cat in ACPS' care and where he could be claimed — and to everyone's surprise, "magic happened." A few hours later, a woman named Angela showed up at the shelter, ready to take home a cat she thought she'd never see again.
"Angela was shocked to find out Derek was found and wanted to reclaim him immediately!" ACPS shared. "She told us that Derek had been a childhood pet for her children, and the kids were devastated when he went missing. That all changed thanks to a microchip and the determination of Officer Alfredson to locate Derek's owner."
"Derek now gets to live out his life back in the place where he was raised and with a family who still loves him to this day," the post continued.
Angela took to the comments of the ACPS post to offer an update on the kitty's life back with his family.
"Derek is doing great and fitting in well with our other cat Cedric. We are so happy and feel unbelievably lucky to have him back," Angela wrote alongside an image of her son and Derek when they first adopted him.
She followed it up with another image of her son and Derek the day they were reunited — both older and looking slightly different but with just as much love between them.
Animal lovers shared their excitement in the comments of the post, with one writing: "Wow! So happy for Derek and his original owner!!!And kudos to Officer Alfredson!"
Another said, "That's a heartwarming story!! Made me cry thanks to the officer who didn't give up on finding the kitty's owners."
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ACPS also took the opportunity to remind pet owners to microchip their furry family members and to keep microchip information up to date.
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