Council & Politics
3 May, 2026
Furry friend’s reunion
Duke the cat ran away from his Ballarat home two years ago.
ST Arnaud was the place of a sweet reunion between an owner and her furry friend.
Duke the cat ran away from his Ballarat home two years ago.
But the Northern Grampians Shire Council’s Community Safety team were able to reunite him with his Ballarat family recently.
Council rangers collected the stray cat from St Arnaud following a call from a concerned resident.
Thanks to the microchip, the Community Safety team was quickly able to identify the cat’s owner – and that he was a long way from home.
Mayor Karen Hyslop said the Ballarat woman was overjoyed to discover 13-year-old Duke was safe and well.
“Georgia was thrilled to be reunited with Duke and couldn’t wait to take him home to his family,” she said.
“No doubt there were plenty of loving cuddles in store, particularly from Georgia’s little girls, Gia and Coco.”
Cr Hyslop said the story’s happy ending would not have been possible if Duke was not microchipped.
“The process costs about $70 and can be done through your local vet.”
More information about cat and dog ownership in the municipality is available on council’s website, which you can find here: www.ngshire.vic.gov.au/Residents/Animal-services/Cat-and-dog-registration.
Read More: St Arnaud