CATLIN, Ill. — A beloved rescue cat named Ivy has finally returned home to Central Illinois — nearly three years and more than 1,000 miles after she was taken from a PetSmart in Champaign.
Doug and Michele Carder, who run VALOR Rescue, were heartbroken when Ivy disappeared from the store in 2022. Despite reporting the incident, they were told that PetSmart could not be held liable.
“No one had seemed to know where she had gone,” said Doug Carder, recalling the day Ivy vanished.
A Shocking Discovery From a Thousand Miles Away
For years, the Carders held onto hope. That hope became reality when they received an unexpected email earlier this month: Ivy had been located in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
At first, they thought it had to be a scam. But Michele quickly verified the microchip number, and to their amazement—it was Ivy.
“I plugged in the microchip number they had listed on the email and it was her,” Michele shared.
With help from another animal rescue group and a pair of cat-loving flight attendants, Ivy made the journey from Albuquerque to Denver, then to Chicago, before finally reuniting with her family in Catlin.
Welcome Home, Ivy
Doug described the emotional moment at the airport as something they’ll never forget.
“Everybody was crying… we had balloons and signs that said ‘Welcome home, Ivy,’” he said in the WCIA report.
Remarkably, just a month earlier, the Carders had also been reunited with Sadie, another cat that was taken from the same PetSmart location. Sadie was missing only for a few days—but Ivy had been gone for nearly three years.
A Message to All Pet Owners
The Carders believe their experience should serve as an important reminder to pet owners across Illinois and beyond: microchipping works.
“Both were found by microchips,” Doug emphasized. “Who knows if they would be back without them?”
Though Ivy and Sadie are a bit more anxious and reserved than they once were, both are now safe and back with the family that never stopped looking for them.
For now, the Carders say Ivy and Sadie will remain under their care—not up for adoption, just loved and home where they belong.
Read More: 27-Year-Old Woman Dies After Being Pulled From Lake Michigan Near Navy Pier
Have a Pet in Illinois?
Make sure your furry friend is microchipped and registered. Stories like Ivy’s show that it could make all the difference. For more local rescue stories, visit ChicagoSuburbanFamily.com.
