Community rallies around desperate pet owner, leading to joyful reunion

Rosie, a beloved cat, had been a part of the Miller family for years. She is a sleek and agile feline, with shimmering grey fur and piercing green eyes.

On September 10, Rosie was lounging on the counter at home, enjoying a snack of biltong. But in the blink of an eye, she vanished.

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Susan Miller, Rosie’s owner, was distraught with anxiety. She searched every nook and cranny of their home in Capricorn Road, Lonehill, but there was no sign of Rosie.

As the hours ticked by, Miller’s concern became too much to bear. She posted pictures of Rosie on the community groups on social media hoping someone might have seen her. The community rallied around her with support in keeping an eye out for the feline.

“My daughter Taylor was completely distraught as she had to say goodbye to her cat before she left for overseas that weekend. As a family, all our fur babies are very special to us, and this was extremely traumatic for everyone. My biggest concern is that she would have been run over by a car or eaten by someone’s dog.”

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Two days later, Miller met with Diane Logie from Healthy Hound Missing Pet Search & Rescue, who brought her trusty dog, Blue. Together, they tracked Rosie’s scent to a drain about a kilometre from home.

But just as they thought they had found her, Rosie bolted into the drain, leaving them frustrated and worried.

“We sat there for ages calling her, playing a message from my daughter Taylor so she could hear her voice. I then put tuna from the drain back to the house. She must have followed the trail but ended up in a neighbour’s garden on their windowsill.

“He noticed that cat and called us. We then went to fetch her. Wow, I was blown away with all the support and love from all the people in Lonehill, Fourways and all my friends who assisted me.”

Currently, there are 42 missing pets in the area in Johannesburg, according to data from PawBoost, an online platform that helps reunite lost pets with their owners.

PawBoost is a free service that allows users to post lost and found pet listings, share listings on social media, print lost pet flyers, and receive alerts and tips from the community. The service also partners with animal shelters, rescue groups, and veterinary clinics to help increase the chances of reuniting pets with their owners.

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