‘His owners must be so heartbroken’: Woman attends Petco adoption event with boyfriend. Then she learns why one cat was separated from its owner
A woman and her boyfriend randomly attended a pet adoption event at their local Petco and encountered a cat that was separated from its owner by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
TikTok creator Emma (@saltandpepper_tails) posted her first video about the situation on Nov. 2. The day before, she and her boyfriend stopped by Petco while on a shopping trip and met an orange cat named George at an adoption event being held there.
In the video, Emma and her boyfriend explain that they were told by the person running the adoption event that George’s previous owner had been deported by ICE and he was left alone with several other cats until they were rescued by a neighbor.
Emma posted an update video on Nov. 10, which features a series of clips of George acclimating to his new environment.
“We adopted George one month ago, after his owners were deported by ICE,” Emma wrote in the on-screen text. “He and his siblings were left behind without care until they were rescued by a neighbor. We could tell that he was heartbroken when he first came home. With no idea what had happened to him.”
How George the ICE Cat Settled Into His New Home
According to Emma, George initially had no appetite and wouldn’t even drink water. “He was so lost, wondering why he was suddenly no longer with his loving owner.”
She said the couple did everything they could think of to find more information on George’s previous owners. George’s microchip told them he is 7 years old and was surrendered two years ago before being adopted by his last owner.
Unfortunately, the last owner didn’t register the chip, so they don’t know the person’s name or how to contact them.
“It pains me to know that [George] has experienced so much loss and pain behind rehomed twice, with no understanding or closure,” Emma wrote. “He seems to be settling in so well. We know this takes time, so we have been allowing him the safe space that he needs to grieve.”
Emma said that George is opening up more and more each day and she is hopeful that he will fully recover from the experience. “I hope he knows that his owner did not choose to abandon him. No pet deserves to have their owner unwillingly separated from them,” she wrote.
The couple hopes that social media will help them connect with George’s last owner, wherever that person is in the world. “I tell him every day how loved he is, and I think he can feel all of the love you all have given him from across the world,” she wrote in the follow-up video’s caption.
@saltandpepper_tails I know that many of you have been asking for an update on George, so here you are! I apologize for the delay. I have felt a bit sheepish because my efforts to reconnect with his owner have been unsuccessful and I wasn’t sure if that was worthy of an update. I feel overwhelmed with the positive support he has received!! I tell him every day how loved he is, and I think he can feel all of the love you all have given him from across the world! #catparents #kittensoftiktok #deportation #ice #rescue ♬ need some rest – how r u
Viewers React to George Story
In the comments section, viewers weighed in on the story of George the ICE cat and the political circumstances that created it.
“Not enough Americans are furious,” wrote one viewer, who is clearly referencing the Trump administration’s recent immigration crackdown. “What is happening there is so awful. People being kidnapped and ripped from their loved ones. I feel so bad for this baby and the family who didn’t want to leave him behind.”
“Oh my god,” said a second person. “How have I never considered the pets that get left behind? The videos of people getting dragged out of their homes are horrible enough.”
Another person suggested, “Please contact micro chip hunters. I used to volunteer and they track down dead-end chips. It’s wonderful work and if anyone can find it it’s them.” There are indeed volunteer groups and services that help people track owners when a pet’s microchip is out of date.
Patch contacted Emma via TikTok comment and direct message for comment.
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