The lost is found!
Amid endless stories of tragedy, crisis and adversity which routinely fill the front page of any newspaper, it is refreshing to report on a warm, fuzzy tale with a happy ending.
"Edward," the long-lost and much sought after black tuxedo cat, has been returned to his anxious owners and is sleeping under his own roof for the first time since June 20. A mostly indoor cat, he vanished after taking a little stroll near his home.
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“Edward”
Edward's homecoming, as it played out, was anything but easy. Owners Al and Melony Feser of Dunkirk began searching the neighborhood as soon as they discovered their cat missing. On June 26, they printed 60 flyers which they distributed to neighbors. The next day, they learned from a reliable source that Edward was at Point Gratiot, quite a distance for a young cat who had called the Fourth Ward home.
The Fesers printed up more flyers (200 in all) and hand-delivered one to each and every house and pavilion at the Point as well as to veterinarians, WDOE radio station, the OBSERVER and social clubs. They were advertising heavily in the OBSERVER classifieds as well as relying on radio announcements.
"Nobody told us to get lost," Melony Feser said. "In fact, it is incredible how many wonderful people we have met since all this happened. We must have received at least 50 phone calls, if not more. People we didn't know would call to ask if we had checked the newest "Found" ad in the newspaper. Most would inform us they had spotted a black cat that could be Edward. We went out many times, but with no success."
Until early Wednesday evening, that is. Earlier that day, Shaun Zerge had come into the OBSERVER looking for a job. While at the counter, he glanced around and spotted the poster for "Edward" that had been hanging prominently in the reception area since the Fesers dropped it off. He knew instantly that was the cat he, Dave Fisher, Tiffany Pierce and Linda DeLand, all of whom live in the Woodrow Avenue/Second Street area of town, had been feeding for about a week.
A call was later made to the Fesers who were overjoyed to discover this "hot tip" was not another wild goose chase, but the real thing. Although away from home and on his own for nearly 40 days, Edward was none the worse for wear. He received a clean bill of health from the veterinarian who examined him.
The Fesers never gave up on their quest to find their pampered pet, hoping and praying that the right people would befriend him and learn of their search. As for Edward, he reportedly made himself quite at home again in no time flat, making a beeline for the cupboard that contains his treats.
