BOZEMAN — A beloved campground cat is missing from Bear Canyon Campground just outside Bozeman, and his owners are heartbroken.
George the cat has been a fixture at the family-run campground for nearly 15 years, charming guests and lounging around the property. But last Friday, someone drove in and snatched the feline - and the entire incident was caught on surveillance video.
Help bring George the campground cat home! Watch the heartwarming story now.
Ian Burgard, whose family owns and operates the campground, says George isn’t just a pet; he’s part of the family.
“We’ve been family-owned since 1978. My grandpa and his dad originally bought it. Then my mom took it over thirty years ago, and I have been helping her for the last ten,” Ian says.
Photos shared by the campground show George sunbathing, patrolling, and making himself at home throughout the property.
“In the winter, it’s just me and him, and so, he’s someone who is very special to all of us,” Ian says.
That’s why Friday’s events have been so upsetting. In the video, a woman in a grey Nissan Altima is seen pulling into the lot, walking over to George, petting him, then picking him up and driving away.
“She called him over from over here and then just kind of got him to walk over there...” Ian says.
“I tried to see if I could find which way she went, but by that point, she was gone,” he adds.
Now, George’s usual spot, a tented area near the office where he often naps in the shade, sits empty.
“He was kind of lying over here. He likes lying under this bush more than he actually uses the tent, but this is the area where he hangs out most of the day in the shade,” Ian says.
As guests check in, many are asking the same thing: where’s George?
Ian and his family are growing increasingly concerned for his safety. George is an elderly cat and requires daily medication to survive.
“Just want to see my little buddy back... the cat is very special to us. At this point, if I could just have him returned up here safe, that is all that I care about,” Ian says.
The family is now offering a $1,000 reward for any information that leads to George’s safe return.
“We have a reward out for anyone who is able to give us info that brings George home,” Ian says.
If you have any information about George’s whereabouts, you’re asked to contact the Gallatin County Sheriff's Office or Bear Canyon Campground directly at (406) 587-1575.
