King County Animal Care and Control veterinarian escorting cat to Arizona

"RV" the calico cat ran away from home as her owner, Ken Gold, was preparing to move from Kent, Washington to Tucson, Arizona last July. Heartbroken, Ken stayed behind in Kent for one extra day hoping the cat would return, but had to start his move after time ran out. He kept hope alive by updating his contact information associated with the cat's microchip registry after his move.

In mid February, a stray cat was brought into the King County Animal Care and Control shelter in Kent from the Federal Way area. Every animal found by Animal Care and Control is scanned, and the microchip with Ken Gold's contact information was found. It is unknown how the cat made it from Kent to Federal Way, or where the cat has been for the previous 9 months.

RV the cat kept getting luckier, as the King County Animal Care and Control veterinarian, Dr. Marilyn Christensen, had previously planned a vacation to Tucson, Arizona months ago. Early tomorrow morning, March 5^th, RV will leave SeaTac airport with Dr. Christensen to be reunited with his owner in Arizona, thanks to the dedication of Animal Care and Control employees and at no additional cost to tax payers.

Staff arranged to have the cat vaccinated, including a rabies vaccination, and to have a current animal health certificate prepared for transport. Aussie Pet Mobile grooming provided a free bath and grooming on Monday, and a donated pet supply gift card was used to purchase an appropriate cat carrier for the trip.

"This is a great example of why it is so important to have two forms of identification on your cat at all times," said King County Animal Care and Control Interim Manager Nancy McKenney, "If your pet wears an ID tag, a license, and has a microchip, the chances of having your pet return home are exponentially greater than if they were wearing just one form of identification or none at all."

For more information about responsible pet ownership, visit www.kingcounty.gov/pets.

###

King County Animal Care and Control's service area is unincorporated King County and 34 cities within King County. The agency has been promoting responsible pet ownership and providing animal related services to both people and animals for over 37 years.