Our two cats, Tommy and Jerry, now five, are more like children to us than pets. Although we have always allowed them the freedom of roaming outdoors we like to keep very close tabs on them. We have been using your tags on our two cats for the past few years to help us find them whenever we felt it was time to return indoors again. They are extremely loving and affectionate cats who sleep in our bed with us at night.
Yesterday my husband let the cats out shortly after 9 AM. Since it was a Saturday we were both busy going about our housework. Tommy returned home around noon but Jerry never returned. Since it gets dark early now we decided to start calling for Jerry around 3:00 but couldn't find him. Jim took the Loc8tor out and began searching the fields and neighboring yards and streets. The later the hour grew the more worried we became. With each passing hour we grew more anxious. Since it is December in New York now the weather is very cold here. The night time temperatures are down below freezing. The wind was blowing very strong and there were snowflakes blowing in the air.
By eleven o'clock we were in a panic. Jim had made several attempts to find him by walking every inch of the neighborhood. He nearly froze trying to find him in the 30 degree temperatures and strong winds. We finally went to bed but never slept more than a few hours each getting up every few minutes to look outside for Jerry.
We knew that unless he found shelter he would be very cold and might even freeze. We prayed that he was safe somewhere and would come home in the morning. First thing in the morning on Sunday we immediately dressed and started trying searching again. We drove up and down all the streets calling and checking with neighbors. We finally returned home around 11:00 AM.
Frustrated that we could not find him we started trying to figure out the possibilities of where he might have gone. We stared outside looking at the few country homes and barns that were visible from our kitchen window. I said it didn't seem likely he would be roaming around in this freezing cold. Most likely he was in a barn somewhere. There were only a few barns within a miles range of our home and we had already checked all of them.
Suddenly I remembered an empty home within a half to three quarters of a mile away that has been boarded up and unoccupied for years. I told Jim I'd like to drive over there and look around. We piled back into our coats and hats and quickly drove to the empty house. Jim jumped out with the Loc8tor and began walking around back as I followed. Just as he turned the corner around the back of the house he hollered I've got him. The Loc8tor began to sing and squeal louder and louder as he approached the house.
It was as if we had both each received a shot of adrenaline. We began running around from window to window knocking frantically and calling Jerry Jerry. We couldn't see him inside the house anywhere but the Loc8tor continued to beep loudly. Suddenly Jim found a hole in the door jam area of the back door just big enough for a cat or a small animal to jump through down into the basement of the house. He said he believed that's where he went in.
I tried calling the local police for help but they said there wasn't anything they could do to help us. They suggested we wait until Monday and call the code enforcement officer of our municipality to see what he could do about unlocking a condemned house.
We knew time was of the essence. Jerry had already been trapped in that unheated basement for 24 hours and was crying for help. He might be injured down there and was definitely freezing and hungry. We decided to try to find a way into the house on our own. Luckily Jim was able to pry open one of the cellar doors just enough to squeeze inside. Success ! Once inside he spotted Jerry right away and he leapt up into his arms, one cold but happy cat. Jim passed him out through the crack in the door to me where I immediately whisked him away into the warm waiting car.
We took our Jerry home and he was so hungry and happy to be back in his nice warm house again with his Mom and Dad who love him so dearly. He is the light of our life. We thanked God for giving us the will to pursue our search for Jerry until we found him. Had we given up and had not had the Loc8tor to scan that house, our precious pet would have perished there in another freezing cold night with no food or heat.
THANK YOU LOC8TOR FOR HELPING US TO SAVE OUR CATS LIFE !!
- Rosemary & Jim K. (USA)