As a pet lover when I see a pet wandering the neighborhood streets, I can never just keep driving. Sometimes I try to approach the lost pet and they run away, but at least I know I tried. Although we offer pet sitting services just for cats, I still love and want the best for all animals. Yesterday while driving home from a pet sitting visit in my Smyrna neighborhood, I saw a dog loose in the street with no pet guardian in sight. I stopped to assess the situation.
The dog was very friendly although dirty and very thin. She had a collar but no ID tag. No tag, no one to call! I did not want to just let her run loose in the street so I did the next logical thing and took her to a nearby veterinarian office to see if the dog was microchipped. I am happy to report that the dog was microchipped and the owner was located. A happy ending for this lost pooch.
I feel that as pet parents, it is very important to make sure our fur babies have identification on them to aid in bringing them back home to us. Here are a few ways to make this possible:
- A collar helps alert others that the lost animal is likely someone’s pet, not just a stray.
- An identification tag with the pet’s name and your phone number is the quickest way for you to be contacted (unfortunately, not everyone will take the effort to see if your pet is microchipped).
- Microchipping is a permanent lifeline between you and your precious pet, especially if the collar gets lost. It is very important to keep your contact information updated with moves and phone number changes.
Now, while most of us cat parents keep our kitties indoors and you might wonder if all this is necessary, that is a decision only you can make. I can’t tell you though how many instances I have seen that “indoor only” cats have escaped or accidentally let outside and have gone missing to the horror of the pet parent. As their guardians, they deserve these safety measures from us.
Love and Purrs,
Amy
Photo: Michelle Tribe (c) 2011
