GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — After Erica Forde spent more than six long years without cozy snuggles, playful purrs and biscuits made, her cat, Daryl, has finally found his way home.
Over half a decade ago in October 2017, Forde came home to find tragedy had struck — her screen door was broken and Daryl was gone.
Despite posting about him, setting live traps and doing everything she could to bring Daryl home, he was nowhere to be found.
Forde spent such a long time searching that eventually, she had resigned herself to believing the worst. Although she knew Daryl may never make his way home, she held on to a kernel of hope.
That hope was realized last week, when a neighbor brought Daryl right through the front doors of the Humane Society of West Michigan (HSWM), alive and well.
As it turns out, while Forde was searching and worried sick, Daryl had made his way to a condo community only half of a mile away, where he became a beloved outdoor cat.
The neighbors took turns feeding him and caring for him, making Daryl a well-known member of their community.
The time finally came this week when one of the neighbors feeding Daryl was going on a vacation and no others were able to feed him while she was gone.
So, she decided to take him to HSWM to see if he could find a forever home — little did she know, Daryl already had one.
When they scanned his microchip, Forde was called immediately.
Zoey Goehring, the corporate engagement coordinator for HSWM, wasn't there when the two were reunited. However, her coworkers were and said it was a very special moment.
"She barely had any words, just because she was like, 'Okay, I'm so happy, obviously, but this guy's been gone for six years,'" Goehring said. "And she's just saying how amazing it is that they are reunited, and it just was such a sweet moment to be able to witness on our end of things...It was just such a rewarding feeling to see them go back together."
Forde commented on HSWM's Facebook post about the two being reunited and said Daryl is settling back into their home well, and they're thrilled to have him back.
"We are so so happy to have Daryl home! We searched and searched for him for so long, we can’t believe he was possibly so close this whole time! He’s settling back in great and we’re so thankful to the person who brought him in and West Michigan Humane for contacting me right away," Forde said in the comment.
Goehring said Daryl's story is not just a happy one, but also a cautionary tale to owners to be sure to have their pets microchipped.
Although microchips can't track a pet, they do contain identification numbers that include important information vets and animal shelters can scan for. The chips are similar to your pet wearing tags with your information on them — except these can't be lost or taken off.
"It is so crucial to have your pet microchipped," Goehring said. "Even if you think you have a normal routine, that you have a foolproof way of your pet not leaving, you just will never know. So having your pet microchips and having that easy way for them to get relocated back to you is so important."
She said if you ever find a stray animal to be sure to take them to a shelter or emergency vet clinic so they can be scanned for a microchip and reunited with their family, just like Daryl was.
HSWM offers walk-in microchipping for publicly owned animals each week from Tuesday through Friday from 1-4 p.m. for $20 per animal.
In addition to this, HSWM is also hosting a free community microchip clinic on March 29 from 4-6 p.m. at the United Church Outreach Ministry in Wyoming.
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