- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
Fallston Today
By the People, for the People
Missing Cat Reunited With Owners After 5 Years
Artemis the cat was found in an unfinished basement and returned to its overjoyed family.
Mar. 21, 2026 at 8:42pm
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
A Maryland family was miraculously reunited with their long-lost cat Artemis, who had been missing for five years. The indoor-outdoor feline left its Hickory home in September 2021 and never returned. The cat was eventually brought to the Harford County Humane Society, where its microchip led them to contact the Garci family, who were overjoyed to be reunited with their pet.
Why it matters
This heartwarming story highlights the importance of microchipping pets and the joy that can come from being reunited with a beloved animal companion after years apart. It also underscores the dedication of animal shelters in helping to reconnect lost pets with their owners.
The details
Artemis, whose name was inspired by the Greek goddess of hunting and wilderness, was found in an unfinished basement years after going missing. When the cat was brought to the Harford County Humane Society, its microchip allowed the shelter to contact the Garci family, the cat's owners. The reunion was an emotional one, with the cat immediately recognizing and affectionately interacting with its owners, Melissa and Brooke Garci.
- Artemis went missing from its Hickory, Maryland home in September 2021.
- The cat was found and brought to the Harford County Humane Society years later.
The players
Artemis
The indoor-outdoor cat that went missing from its Maryland home for 5 years before being reunited with its owners.
Melissa and Brooke Garci
The mother and daughter who were overjoyed to be reunited with their long-lost cat Artemis.
Harford County Humane Society
The animal shelter that scanned Artemis' microchip and contacted the Garci family, leading to the reunion.
What they’re saying
“This woman answered, 'Hello?' And we said we have your cat, and she was unbelieving. And she said, 'Are you sure? My cat has been missing for five years,'”
— Erin Long, Humane Society of Harford County
“He kind of walked out of the kennel and looked at them and went right over and was rubbing on them, got in mom's lap, got in daughter's lap. It was a beautiful thing.”
— Erin Long, Humane Society of Harford County
“I was like, I couldn't cry yet because I was in disbelief, but when I saw her, I was like, 'Omg, she looks exactly the same,'”
— Brooke Garci
The takeaway
This heartwarming story underscores the importance of microchipping pets and the dedication of animal shelters in reuniting lost pets with their owners, even after years apart. It serves as an inspiring reminder of the deep bonds between people and their animal companions.
