By Bonny Burrows
A Cockatoo pet owner who was reunited with her beloved cat 10 months after he went missing has spoken out about the importance of microchipping.
Mister Sox was allegedly stolen from his home on 26 September, devastating owner Merrill Anderson who feared she would never see her “baby” again.
She reported Mister Sox as missing with the microchipping company a week later and for the next 10 months feared he was dead.
The thought crushed Ms Anderson, who had picked out Mister Sox from a litter when he was just four weeks old, telling the owner “when he’s old enough, he’s mine”.
“I worried constantly. Three nights before Nic (from Cardinia Shire Council) rang me, I thought ‘I need to know what happened to Mister Sox’; I needed closure,” Ms Anderson said.
When she got the call on 12 July that Mister Sox had been found in Upper Beaconsfield by a woman called Elaine, she burst into tears.
“I couldn’t believe it. I kept asking ‘Are you sure it’s Mister Sox?’ and Nic said, ‘Yes, we scanned the microchip’,” Ms Anderson said.
“Even my brother said, after 10 months, nearly a year, you don’t often get cats back.”
Reunited with Ms Anderson, and his feline ‘siblings’ Ralph and Smidge, Mister Sox is now recovering from his adventure and readjusting to the home environment.
“We’re still going through teething problems. Ten months is six years in cat years, and it’s the same situation for his mates too. They all have to readjust to his long absence,” Ms Anderson said.
The experience has left Ms Anderson issuing a warning to all pet owners who may be considering cutting expenses by bypassing microchipping.
“If you really love your animals and you want to keep them, get them microchipped. It’s an absolute small price to pay,” Ms Anderson said.
“It’s the most important thing; without it I wouldn’t have got Mister Sox back.”
Cardinia Shire Council has echoed Ms Anderson’s calls for responsible pet ownership.
Its manager of development and compliance services Debbie Tyson said microchipping, desexing and registering a pet was required under the Domestic Animals Act 1994.
“Also, keeping registration and microchipping details up-to-date, and ensuring your pet is wearing its registration tag at all times, will ensure we can return your pet home sooner should they become lost,” Ms Tyson said.
Found animals that can’t be identified by a registration tag or microchip are impounded by the council, and Ms Tyson said this could end up being costly.
Ms Tyson said pets should also be secured within a property, as required under law.
“As pet owners we want our animals to be able to safely enjoy the outdoors,” Ms Tyson said.
To help cats stay safe while still having fun outside, the RSPCA and the council recommend building or buying an outdoor cat enclosure.
“These are the perfect way for cats to stay safe, happy, healthy and fit, while also protecting local wildlife,” Ms Tyson said.
Pet owners can register or renew their pet’s registration online at the council’s website.
