Stewbie, a patient at the East Side Animal Hospital in Evansville, Ind., is injected with a microchip by Angela Kroeger, a registered veterinarian technician. Although Stewbie was under pre-anesthesia for a later surgery, animals do not have to be under anesthesia for the procedure. A proposed city ordinance would require dog owners to pay a $100 fee each year unless they have their pets spayed or neutered and injected with microchips that contain information on the pets.
The Associated Press
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One minute your pet is safe at home or beside your side and the next minute he can't be found. This situation can happen to anyone - all it takes is a few seconds.
Each year, the Michigan Humane Society's three metro Detroit centers for animal care take in approximately 15,000 stray animals, most of whom have no form of identification. Less than 10 percent of these animals are ever reunited with their original owners, according to information provided by the Michigan Humane Society.
Losing a beloved pet is a horrible experience, but experts say there are steps pet guardians can take to protect their pets and increase their chances of finding them.
Prevention is key. A good, fenced-in yard is a traditional method of protecting pets. Just make sure that the fence is high enough that a dog can't get over it and watch to make sure the dog doesn't dig under it, said Karen Fidell, DVM at Oakland Veterinary Referral Services in Bloomfield Hills. However, in the event a pet does stray from home, identification, such as a collar and tag and microchip, can be invaluable tools.
Fidell said people should include information they are comfortable with providing on an identification tag, such as a phone number, so the pet can be returned directly. She said this is particularly helpful in cases when a neighbor finds the animal so he can be returned home promptly.
Microchipping is a more permanent identification method that is done by a veterinary professional. This form of identification requires injecting a microchip about the size of a grain of rice under the pet's skin between the shoulder blades, said Fidell. When scanned with a microchip reader at an animal shelter, veterinary office or other animal agency, an ID number is displayed. When that number is entered in a database, registered information can match the pet with its guardian.
The Michigan Humane Society recommends the use of both non-permanent (collar and tag) and permanent forms (microchipping) of identification.
To increase the chances of finding a lost pet, take action quickly.
Fidell suggested calling veterinary hospitals and veterinary emergency facilities as soon as possible in case the pet was injured and brought in by someone.
Fidell said a common mistake people make is not calling veterinary facilities outside their community. While the pet may have not wandered far, she can always be picked up and taken to someone's home or a veterinary hospital close to the finder's home, she said.
In addition, check with the humane society and other animal agencies, she said. Provide them with a detailed description of the pet along with his age, information on medical conditions, a phone number and the veterinarian's phone number, said Fidell.
If the pet isn't located at first, call back. After all, just because the pet's not there the first day, doesn't mean someone won't bring him in later, she added.
The Michigan Humane Society suggests people check animal shelters in their area in person because people may describe animals differently and in a busy shelter environment a companion animal could be overlooked.
Other tips, courtesy of the Michigan Humane Society:
Write out a complete description including the animal's name, breed, size, gender, spay/neuter status, eye color, coat color and length and any special markings. Photos are vitally important. Use this information to make up fliers.
Post fliers, with permission, in as many local buildings as possible. n Leave food and water and something familiar to the pet (such as a blanket, bed or favorite toy) outside near the door. An unwashed piece of your clothing may help the pet pick up the scent of you and home. Animals may return on their own when no one is home, and having food, water and something familiar may encourage them to stay in the area.
Be persistent and vigilant.
Contact Jane Peterson at (248) 745-4573 or jane.peterson@oakpress.com
