Back in 2012 a cat went missing from Stanhope, a cat named ‘Fluffy’. A decade later, Fluffy’s legacy lives on with Fluffy’s Lost and Found Pets in Ashford.
A group of concerned-pet loving folk put posters through letter boxes, checked with local vets and asked people to keep a look out for Fluffy via social media. Four long and miserable weeks passed, the search effort dwindling, so too did the hope of being reunited with Fluffy, when one night Mel got a phone call. It was a woman who confessed to feeding what she assumed a stray, two miles down the road in Singleton but she’d seen the Facebook post and noticed a similarity. Fluffy returned to her loving family! The concerned pet-loving folk were delighted they had about this reunion and vowed that this wouldn’t be the last “Fluffy” that they would help return to a loving owner safe and sound.
“At the time there wasn’t any local lost and found pages on Facebook, so we created Fluffy’s Lost and Found in the hope it would help to find at least one missing animal. Over the last 10 years, many animals have been reunited through our page and what an amazing community it has become”.
A community is right; the group can now boast of close to 7,000 members which the admins of the group “obviously love because more members means more eyes on the ground and more shares for those lost. It’s also grown to be a place where those can seek advice for other pet related issues. Where we can help out local rescues to share their rescue cats looking for a new family. We very much support rescuing and promote responsible pet ownership whilst trying not to be too overbearing about it. The group is also amazing for its members support and donations we receive each year when we do our collections at Christmas for the local rescues and everyone pulling together makes it all very special”.
The group credit Cats Protection Tenterden and RSPCA Ashford Garden Cattery as being fundamental in ensuring the safety of many of the strays. The group wouldn’t be what it is without the incredible support of this pet loving community though, as the founders recall the generosity shown “back in 2020 to raise money at the start of COVID outbreak when everything was so unsure in the world to support two very unfortunate strays found in Willesborough – Blinky and Blitz”. Without a massive flood of donations both would have been put down, thanks to the good people of Fluffy’s the cats were treated and give the best chance at a life off the streets.
A page like Fluffy’s is such a good community resource that hopefully you’ll never be dependent on as “when a family pet goes missing it is very overwhelming for owners. Having a group here in the Ashford area gives owners a place where like-minded people will be. Especially for support and advice. We have worked hard to keep the group a kind place where members are put at ease and able to be supported by us and our other members who really do know how it feels and are able to give words of encouragement and keep each owner positive whilst looking for their lost ones”. With such a huge membership the amount of shares the group get is huge “every share helps, every comment helps” in the race to reunite. Fluffy’s is also used to report animals that have unfortunately been found dead – “we will always try to get there as soon as possible and if we can’t, there is often other members who will rush there to treat the little one with dignity, kindness and take to a vet in the hope they are microchipped and can give their families closure”.
CommunityAd asked each of the founders to recall a happy occasion that had seen a pet reunited with its owner that they’ve witnessed over the last decade.
For Jenna the case that stands out “would have to be handsome Bandit. Bandit went missing in October 2016 from his home in Singleton, his mum Linda posted regularly to try and find him. There were sightings to start with close to the area he went missing then nothing for quite some time”. It wasn’t until a sighting the following May, some eight months later that Bandit reappeared on Fluffy’s radar. Tanny and Rob who had seen the scruffy cat on multiple occasions, sent word to the group and “Bandit’s mother Linda”. There was a resemblance but a vague one as Bandit had become scruffy and had never suited his name more. After a scan at the vets, it was confirmed that it was indeed Bandit! “I remember the overwhelming excitement that night like it was yesterday. Linda’s relief was the best, her boy had been found safe and alive and was going home. It was the best feeling ever. And could not have happened without teamwork”.
Sian recalls “the whole Miah situation when I had to chase her for half a mile then took her back home to the owner who was absolutely frantic about her escaping”.
Whereas Helz adds “Our page has helped to reunite so many animals” one that stands the test of time in her mind though is “George the tabby cat went missing from Hastingleigh near Wye back in August. He had been missing almost 4 months when one of our lovely members posted to say that a cat had been hanging around the The White Horse Inn car park for a week. George’s owners went to see if it was him and it was! George recognised his mum’s voice before he even saw her. Their friends lived local to the place where George was found, so the owners wondered if George had hitched a ride in their car. He had travelled almost 10 miles. They were over the moon to have him home”.
For Jeff, the reunion he recalls is his very first back in January 2017, unaware of Fluffy’s at the time he was going about his daily life when he noticed a cat taking shelter in his garage. Jeff didn’t think anything of it initially, when the Russian Blue was still in the garage the next day Jeff thought to himself he better pop down the shops and get some cat food for the lad. A few days passed before Jeff discovered Fluffy’s and the listing of a missing Russian Blue. “I contacted the lady direct with a photo and message. She was at my doorstep near on straight away visibly shaking. Lucifurr had travelled 3 miles and had been missing 2 months but was reunited with his owner thanks to Fluffy’s Lost and Found”.