Most of you are aware..Ivy was stolen out of a kennel at Petsmart on September 24, 2022..photos were shared with the public and social media, a police report was filed..no one could identify the couple that walked in without a cat and left the store with our sweet Ivy in their arms..it was like she had vanished without a trace!

Multiple contacts were made with the CPD without much help or care..we prayed and hoped that she would be found one day safe..our statute of limitations for this case would soon be over on 9/24/25..we had come to the realization last week that she wasn’t coming home..until last Thursday June 12th

A notification email and a telephone call was received that she had been found in Albuquerque, New Mexico..this was confirmed after speaking with Albuquerque Animal Welfare and Animal Control Center..now how do we get her home?

We reached out to Paula Brockman with Tails on the Go! A team was assembled to get her home..Rita Richey with Smokey’s Buddies Transport..Barbara Bayer-CARMA Animal Rescue, Laurie Westburg-Rockin ResQ Transport, @Tracy Lynn, Nan Lechner, Lajuana Baker and Ashlynn Major our SWA Flight Attendent team made this transport possible..Miss Ivy landed Tuesday afternoon at Midway Airport in Chicago..Wow is all we can say..Thank you all so much for your dedication to the animals!! I am hoping I haven’t left anyone out in our post!! Microchipping saved Ivy’s life and brought her back to us..as we do not know how she made it from Champaign, Il to Albuquerque, New Mexico..we may never know but she’s HOME NOW!

On Friday the 13th, I was contacted by Laurie Westberg about a situation involving a STOLEN cat from a PetSmart display in Champaign, IL. The cat was stolen in 2022. Due to the MICROCHIP the cat showed up in New Mexico at a shelter. The Chip was registered back to VALOR Cat Rescue in IL.

The shelter contacted Valor and asked if they wanted the cat back. OF COURSE THEY DID ! Michele Byerly Carder the director of the rescue contacted Paula Brockman asking for help who then contact Laurie. Laurie in turned contacted me to see if I can help. I then contacted one of my drivers Lajuana Baker who happens to be a flight attendant with an airline. She helped us get some fellow flight attendants to help. I started to contact some drivers in the area of the airport. One driver, Ed Goodman referred me to CARMA a local cat rescue. Carma rep went to the shelter and picked up IVY the cat. That afternoon Tracy Lynn flew from Denver to the Alb. airport and picked up Ivy turning her over to Nan Lechner who flew from Denver to Chicago and met up with Michele from the rescue.

ALL THIS WAS MADE POSSIBE BY GOD AND THE FOLLOWING STEPS DONE FOR IVY:

1) TAG - KEEP AN INFORMATION TAG ON YOUR ANIMALS WHEN YOU HAVE THEM OUTSIDE

2) SNIP - SPAY OR NEUTER YOUR PETS.

3) CHIP - MICROCHIP YOUR PETS KEEPING THE INFO UP TO DATE - ADDRESS, PHONE NUMBERS, AND EMAIL.

4) CONTAIN - MEANS A GOOD FENCED YARD - OR BARRIER TO PREVENT THEM ESCAPING OUT THE DOOR.