Lost and found: Texas family's beloved cat returns home after 2,000-mile adventure
Shoto's journey from Texas to Massachusetts is a mystery that only he knows. (Danielle Cookish / Dakin Humane Society)
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Only Shoto knows the true story of his incredible journey from Texas to Massachusetts.
The skinny stray cat's experiences and the encounters he made along the way are mysteries that will forever fascinate. Yet one thing is certain: The pet's owners are sleeping better tonight, reunited with their first family cat after a two-year search.
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Nearly 2,000 miles separated Shoto from his Texas family, who faced the unthinkable when their beloved cat disappeared during a brutal January cold snap.
Despite their best efforts, he was never found until the Dakin Humane Society in Springfield, Massachusetts, fulfilled their deepest wish.
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Staff members at the shelter were left in disbelief recently after a good Samaritan brought in a frail cat who needed help. A microchip scanner chirped when it hovered over the feline's implant.
Nearly 2,000 miles separated Shoto from his Texas family. (Dakin Humane Society)
It was Shoto.
When Dakin’s Massachusetts area code came up on Shoto's family's phone, the cat's owner almost shrugged it off as a telemarketer or other unwanted call.
"Thankfully, we made contact," the shelter said.
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Without hesitation, the cat's owner made plans to drive to Dakin, a 26-hour-each-way journey from Texas, to reunite with their beloved Shoto.
Dakin Humane Society staff were stunned when a kind stranger dropped off a frail cat, later revealed to be Shoto. (Dakin Humane Society)
"No one except for Shoto will ever know how he got to Massachusetts," the shelter said. "That adventure will forever remain his secret."
Dakin Humane Society said it was honored to reunite the family after such a long time apart, thanks to the amazing power of a microchip.
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Yet while microchips are invaluable for reuniting lost pets, the shelter said they are not a real-time tracking solution.
"Keeping your microchip contact information up to date is critical in the event the unthinkable happens; your pet goes missing," the shelter notes on its website.
Dakin Humane Society was happy to reunite the family after such a long time. (Dakin Humane Society)
You can visit the American Animal Hospital Association's microchip database and start with your pet’s microchip number to locate the company it’s registered with. From there, you can contact that company to update a phone number, change in ownership or an address.
"Microchips are useful pieces of technology," the shelter said. "(They) help keep people and pets together and have been the reason for reuniting countless families."
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