We love our fur babies. They are more than just pets; they are part of our family. They sleep with us, share the couch with us, and even join us on vacation. The idea of having our beloved canines or felines separated from us is almost unbearable.
Did you know that 1 in 10 pets will be lost at some point in their life? While a collar with a name tag and contact information is the easiest to put on your pets, collars can be removed or lost. Microchipping is the best way to keep your pets from being unidentifiable if they get out.
Below are three stories of pups that were separated from their owners and how they made it back home.
Returned After a Fourth of July Fireworks Display
A pampered German Shepherd by the name of Dora was living the dream life of any canine in Texas. Big yard, a loving family, and always lots of treats. Then on July 4th, 2012, Dora became spooked by an Independence Day fireworks celebration and escaped her backyard.
After seven months of searching, Dora’s family finally received the call they had been hoping for. Dora was picked up in McKinney, Tx, about 18 miles from her home, by a local shelter. Dora’s family rushed to get her and take her home.
Returned After Being Stolen
Christine Lindsey was the victim of a dog-napping back in the summer of 2017. Sissy was stolen from Christine when she was on vacation in Chattanooga, Tennessee. After nine months of hoping her little pup would be found, she received the call that Sissy had been picked up by the local animal control. Christine wasted no time and drove through the night to Atlanta, Georgia where Sissy was located. It was all thanks to the contact information the shelter could get from Sissy’s microchip.
Returned After Getting Out of the Yard
Luna is a spunky little Chihuahua who ran away from her home in 2017. Thankfully, a kind-hearted pedestrian spotted Luna hiding under a car parked on the side of a very busy street. The pedestrian was able to coax Luna out and brought her to a local shelter to find out if she had a microchip. Thankfully, not only did Luna have a microchip, but her contact information was also current as well. Luna’s dad was contacted, and he rushed down to the shelter to take her home.
Microchip Your Pets
Currently, it is required by law to get a pet microchipped in Scotland, England, and Ireland. Imagine how many pets would be reunited with their owners if every pet had a microchip. Our shelters would not be overcrowded.
Microchipping is also easy and inexpensive considering the amount of heartache of losing your fur-baby forever. There is no surgery, just a simple injection, and that is it.
Keep Your Contact Information Current
If you are one of the proactive pet owners who have already had your pet chipped, have you checked to see if the information is up to date? If not, then you can ask your veterinarian to scan your pet’s chip for you at your pet’s next appointment. Or, if you know your pet’s chip number, you can go to petmicrochiplookup.org to look up where your pet is registered.
Microchipping your pet is the most permanent way to identify your pet. It would be best if you also got a collar and tags for your pet so anyone who finds your pet can get in contact with you sooner. Make sure you put on that tag the phrase “I am microchipped.” I will ensure you and your pets are reunited after a few hours, not months.
