Losing a pet for veterinarian Jan White is a big deal, but losing her blind cat Roxie was even worse. When the cat was found, and eventually rescued by 11-year-old Rees Haacke, it became one of those experiences in life to remember and cherish.

White, who owns Lake Sawyer Veterinary Hospital, had gone to the grocery story Nov. 8, and while unloading the bags Roxie ran out of the house.

“The cat is completely blind,” White said. “She’s a young cat and she likes to run and jump.”

White said she didn’t realize Roxie was gone right away, but once she knew the search began and continued until late into the night.

The next morning she was putting signs up. A woman saw the sign and suggested she call Missing Pet Partnership.

White said she had never heard of the organization, which is a nonprofit group operated by Kathy Albrecht. White said they asked for a “$250 donation” to find the pet.

According to White, the group brought search dogs out and the second one found Roxie under a deck.

Haacke said he heard about the lost cat on his way to school in the morning and after Cedar River Middle School let out, he and a friend rode their bike around the neighborhood trying to find Roxie.

After about an hour he saw some of the search party standing around a deck, but no one wanted to climb under the deck to get Roxie.

“I offered to climb under and get the cat out,” Haacke said.

White told him how to grab Roxie by the back of the neck.

White said she coaches a lot of people on how to grab a scared or wild animal, but “he did it right away. Very brave for a kid. He just went right in a did it.”

Haacke said Roxie was scared and circling, but he grabbed the cat.

“It scratched me a little,” Haacke said.”But it was all right.”

Albrecht presented Haacke with a “Junior Pet Detective Award” at White’s clinic Nov. 11.