After five long years, Blue the cat was miraculously reunited with his family, thanks to the team at Taverham Vets. Found in poor condition, Blue was brought to the clinic, where veterinary staff provided care and identified him using his microchip. Kaitlin, his owner, was shocked and overjoyed to receive the call from Taverham Vets, sharing that Blue was alive and waiting to come home. The reunion, which took place on Mother’s Day, shows the vital role of microchipping in bringing lost pets home, and the family is incredibly grateful to the team at Taverham Vets for their care. Registered Vet Nurse Lydia Barker shares how it felt to help bring Blue home.
Blue was brought in on Mothering Sunday in a sad state. We immediately checked him for a microchip, and thankfully, he had one! Not only that, but the details were up to date, so we were able to reunite him later that same day. Without the microchip, it is possible Blue never would have been reunited. His owners presumed they’d never see him again after all that time away from home. Blue's case highlighted the crucial role microchipping plays in reuniting lost pets with their owners. In Blue's case, we were fortunate that his microchip details were current, even after being missing for five years. This meant we could contact his owner and bring them back together. Unfortunately, we often see pets whose microchip details are outdated, making it much harder, or even impossible, to reunite them with their families.
Getting to make that call and tell Blue’s owners he had been found was an incredibly special moment, and the fact this happened on Mother’s Day made it even more amazing. They were shocked and delighted when they heard Blue had been found! Almost in disbelief, after five long years they presumed they would never see him again.
One of the biggest challenges we face with unchipped pets is the difficulty in reuniting them with their owners. We often see cats who have been found but are not microchipped, making it nearly impossible to trace their home. These pets are left with no clear way of identifying where they’ve come from, and sadly, many remain unclaimed. This situation puts additional pressure on our local rescue centres, who do their best to care for these stray animals.
Being part of the Taverham Vets team is something I am incredibly proud of. I feel really lucky to work alongside such a dedicated and compassionate group. They all go above and beyond to provide the very best care for patients. You never know what might happen on any given day, and the hospital houses many interesting departments from dentistry to orthopaedics to internal medicine, which makes it exciting and challenging! It means I am always learning something new. The teamwork and commitment to animal welfare make it such a rewarding place to be.
My favourite thing about working at Taverham is the team and our clients. So many owners want to do the best for their animals. The standard of care provided is exceptional. The mixture of day and out-of-hours work means I get to experience all different cases. Finally, the animals! I couldn't imagine a job without animals being involved. They just brighten everything.
We all came together, without our vet, we couldn’t have provided the pain relief and antibiotics he needed. Our amazing ANA helped hold him while I tended to his wound and clipped, cleaned, and brushed him. Our receptionist made the all-important call to reunite him with his owner.
I’m a Registered Vet Nurse at Taverham Vets, and I work a mixture of day and night shifts. I’ve been with Team Taverham for 7 years. I’ve been a Registered Veterinary Nurse since 2017, and I love the variety my role brings. I enjoy the unpredictability of each shift, and I’m committed to providing the best care for my patients.
After 8 years in my career, my passion for veterinary nursing remains as strong as ever!
At home, I share my space with Ernie, a rescue Lurcher, and Sylvie, my beloved cat. Outside of work, I enjoy walking, reading, and spending quality time with my family. I also love catching up with friends over a glass of wine or a cup of coffee.