Giddy the Cat — formerly known as Jade — is back home after being lost for two years. She was found on the west coast of Oregon, 600 miles from her Reno, Nevada home.
Giddy’s not telling how she made her way to Oregon. Two years ago, she bolted out the front door when her owner arrived home from work and disappeared.
Fortunately, she was microchipped.
Workers at the Clatsop County Animal Shelter in Warrenton, Oregon were astonished to discover that Giddy was from Nevada. They’re guessing that she was taken in by someone who later relocated to Oregon.
Giddy’s owner, William Tweedy, was thrilled that his cat had been located, but he couldn’t manage the cost of airfare to transport Giddy from Oregon to Reno.
But Animal Control Officer Lori Huntley was determined to give Giddy and Tweedy a happy ending.
“Here was this guy who had lost his cat, had no idea what happened, no closure,” she said. “Being animal owners ourselves, we can empathize with wanting to get your animal back home. And if we could get her home, that would be one less animal at the shelter.”
Huntley got in touch with Clatsop Animal Assistance. In the end, Huntley purchased the airline tickets herself with her own frequent flier miles. Giddy’s fare would be paid for by CAA and any donations they could collect.
Giddy proved to be a good traveler. “She was my carry-on baggage,” Huntley said. “I just slid the carrier under the seat in front of me. She wasn’t stressed, she didn’t cry. Not a peep.”
Upon delivering Giddy to an animal control officer in Reno, she hopped the next plane back to Oregon.
Tweedy is delighted to have his cat back. Formerly known as “Jade,” he kept the name the shelter had given her as a tribute to those at the Oregon shelter who went above and beyond to reunite him with his cat.
The shelter is still seeking donations to cover the cost of Giddy’s trip home. For more information on Giddy’s travel fund, call (503) 861-0737.
Wow! That’s quite a traveler! Concatulations to Giddy on the new name an’ getting home to her people!
DMM