Bilbo Baggins Believed Shot, but Found via Microchip
Pete and Caroline Hunt assumed that their 7-yar-old Bengal cat, Bilbo Baggins (pictured above), had been shot by a farmer. Bilbo went missing while the Hunts were attending an archery competition. They had taken their three cats with them in their motor home.
But when they arrived at their RV Park, there were some men shooting at a nearby farm.
Mr Hunt said: “There was a very loud bang from a shotgun very close to us.
“Bilbo isn’t used to noise like that and he ran off. As we had only just arrived at the site, Bilbo didn’t know his way around and must have got lost.
“I asked around all over the place to see if anyone had seen him. When I asked the farmer, he said, well, if he came in here I’d put him down.”
The Hunts were heartbroken to return home with an empty cat box.
Mrs Hunt said: “I thought we’d never see him again. Then someone from these vets in Taunton rang last Thursday and said did we have a Bengal cat.
“I said yes, but we lost him. She replied, we’ve got him here. I was so overjoyed I didn’t know what to say.”
Mrs Hunt had to drive to Taunton to pick up Bilbo. She said: “When I saw him he was very thin. Apparently, he had gone into this woman’s house through the window and she had fed him.
“She took him to her local vets and they read his microchip. Unfortunately, we hadn’t updated our address with the microchipping company but they managed to contact Estcourt House Vets in Devizes and they put them in touch with us.
“Bilbo walked straight up to me, put his little head on my sleeve and purred. I can’t tell you how delighted I was.”
Ed Davies at Estcourt House Vets said: “This shows how valuable it is to get your pet microchipped. But you must tell the microchipping company of any change of address. Fortunately, we had the Hunts’ contact details, which we were able to give the Taunton vets.”
This should serve as a reminder for you to check to see if your microchip contact info is up-to-date.
Microchipping is an essential part of any pet recovery plan, but that plan must also include putting a collar on your pet with ID tags (like TogetherTag) and a bell (to help you locate your cat early on, especially when it’s dark).
Read The Cat’s Meow Guide to Pet Recovery for everything you need to know about keeping your cat safe, and finding her when she’s missing.
[LINK: ThisisWiltshire.co.uk]
the power of a microchip strikes again! my parents want to get their cats microchipped, but we don’t have the extra money to save up for it.
Microchips are awesome! But everyone, please remember to send in your registration forms and to update your information as needed. This is a huge problem. Many animals are found, but the microchip isn’t registered or the contact information is old so they have no way to contact the owners.
Oh, my, Bilbo, your pawrents must have been sooooo very sad and worried driving home without you–especially after what that mean farmer said. And you must have been very worried, sad and confused, too. Thank goodness that nice lady fed you and took you to the vet. And thank goodness your pawrents had chipped you. All of the furbabies in our family are chipped, too. Welcome home, dear Bilbo, you’re a beautiful boy!
Someone should shoot the farmer what a horrible thing to say to someone looking for their lost kitty. Great to hear the story had a happy ending.
Maybe we should shoot that farmer. If it was not for Barn Cats his farm would not be a Farm. It would be a breeding ground for rats and mice. Maybe he is a Rat! No Rats can Feel affection. He never has had real Love in his life. He should try it some time. He may develop a real HEART with FEELINGS> and who knows, He may feel a Fellow Humans Pain.