RIVERTON, UTAH (ABC 4 News) - Cats that are disappearing in Riverton are causing neighbors to turn against each other. But the entire problem could have been fixed if someone had taken the time to get a microchip.
Jeff Tanner says he misses his cat Rusty and has been looking for him at the Salt Lake County Animal Shelter. His family is accusing neighbor Greg Nordberg of stealing his cats.
Nordberg says he loves his neighbors, but he hates what he calls the irresponsible way they kept their cats.
He says that for over four years, the Tanner's cats were a nuisance tearing up his bird houses and terrorizing his turtles. So Nordberg says that with the blessing of Riverton Animal Control, he caught eleven cats and returned them to the shelter. That means Tanner's cat Rusty could be in another home by now.
April Harris at Salt Lake County Animal Services said, "A microchip could be your pet's ticket home."
Microchips are implanted by a syringe. There is no harm to the animal and within seconds it's up and working almost like a permanent social security number that is completely unique.
Harris says only 10% of animals have microchips in them. And the implantation would only cost $20 in case your animal ever gets lost.
