A family in Hamilton, Ohio, was over the moon about adopting a little kitten named Forest Gump, imagining all the fun and love they’d share.
They were just a day away from bringing their new furry friend home when the unimaginable happened – someone stole Forest right from the shelter!
The news was heartbreaking. To make matters worse, the thief abandoned poor Forest in a parking lot – just left him there alone. Thankfully, a kind stranger found him and gave him the second chance he deserved.
At Animal Friends Humane Society, everyone was in shock, especially Jessica Price, the shelter’s executive director.
She had to make the dreaded call to the family to tell them the bad news, sharing in an interview:
“It was a hard conversation. Nobody ever wants to call and give people bad news, especially when they’re so excited about being able to get their kitten.”
The family was, of course, devastated, but they were understanding and appreciated the hard work the shelter was doing to bring Forrest back.
The suspect was a man who had visited the shelter twice. The first time, he filled out an adoption application to check out the cats. Then, he came back asking about Forrest, as Price explained:
“He didn’t say why he was back, but he had already filled out an application to go look at the cats, and so he was approved to actually adopt, but he wanted a cat that was already not available.”
The man was well aware that Forest had already been adopted, as there was a tag on his cage indicating it.
Nevertheless, he managed to sneak him into his coat and ran off.
It didn’t take long for the staff to notice something was wrong. The suspect’s movements and clothing were suspicious, as Price explained:
“He walked out very, very fast, and his coat was zipped up, but when he came in, his coat was undone, so he came out of the [room], and that’s how we figured it out.”
That’s when Hamilton Police used the suspect’s adoption application to track him down.
But by the time they got to him, Forrest had already been abandoned at the Walmart parking lot in Middletown.
The shelter staff was beyond worried. It was cold, and Forrest had just had surgery, not to mention the ear infection that needed special care. But the search for him didn’t stop.
The team was out in full force, determined to bring him back. Word spread throughout the community, and volunteers showed up to help, checking every corner of the Walmart parking lot.
It was a long and stressful wait, as Price explained:
“We had a lot of volunteers going to Walmart. We had people in the community trying to help us find him, and we didn’t have any luck for a while.”
Then, just when it seemed like all hope was lost, something amazing happened. The shelter received a call from a vet clinic in Franklin – Forrest had been found!
A woman had been shopping at Walmart when Forrest, being his friendly, attention-craving self, hopped right into her car. Price shared:
“A lady had been shopping at Walmart, and she was putting her groceries in the car, and he just jumped in. So, we were so happy that he’s a super friendly kitten, so I wasn’t surprised about him jumping in the car because he wants all the attention.”
The clinic scanned Forrest’s microchip, and just like that, they were able to reunite him with the shelter. Price shared:
“Being microchipped really saved his life.”
After everything he had been through, Forest was safe and sound, surrounded by the warmth and love he had been missing. He’s now finally with the family who had been waiting for him.
They’ve renamed him Milo, and he’s living the happy, loving life he was always meant to have.
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