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| Taylor Morales was recently reunited with her cat, Tigger, who was lost in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. |
As Hurricane Katrina approached New Orleans, the Morales family quickly evacuated their home. Perhaps sensing danger, the family cat, Tigger, hid somewhere inside or outside the home, and the Morales’ were forced to leave the tabby behind.
Tigger was eventually rescued in the St. Bernard Parish area by a Best Friends Animal Society rapid response team. Because of the lack of electricity and resources at the rescue camp, Tigger was not scanned to see if he had an identifying microchip. The cat stayed at the St. Francis Animal Sanctuary for a few weeks, then was placed with a rescue group. He eventually was placed with a foster family.
Meanwhile, the Morales family began searching for their beloved family pet. By searching a lost-and-found pet database, the family learned that Best Friends had rescued a cat that matched Tigger’s physical appearance. The family contacted Best Friends and set in motion a series of events that reunited Tigger with his owners. Nine-year-old Taylor Morales was especially glad to have her good friend back.
Best Friends credits Tigger’s microchip with the successful reunion. “It’s important that Taylor had him chipped,” said Russ Mead, Best Friends’ general counsel. “Once he was scanned, it made it very easy to find out he belongs to Taylor.”