Nov 29, 2008 9:48 pm US/Central
Pet Feared Lost For Good Found, Then Microchipped
GARLAND (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ―
When a pet gets lost or runs away, it can be heartbreaking for any family. A North Texas couple learned that the hard way, but they were fortunate enough to get their dog back.
Memphis , a 7-year-old schnauzer, got a little insurance Saturday in the form of a microchip smaller than a penny.
How he got there is the story.
Memphis got away from his owners family while she was away last summer. Though the owner, Fallon McDonald, located him by phone through Garland Animal Control he was adopted out before they could claim him. A legal tug of war developed before she finally got him back. "I feel like we dropped the ball as pet owners the first time, felt like we really didnt take the responsibility seriously…I feel like we let him down."
Dr. Keith Webb, Memphis' veterinarian, says 10 million pets are lost each year. Without identification, 9 million of them are lost for good. Microchips help. "It will actually scan that little chip and it emits a number, and that number is linked to their database which-when its triggered, they can tell who the owner is."
The SPCA of Texas agrees, that's why it puts one in every animal it adopts out.
Tattoos are forms of identification too, but the microchip doesn't leave a mark. Fallon has taken her second chance with Memphis to heart. "So now he's got his tags that are current and he's got his microchip, and we don't let him out of our sight."
After all, he's one of the family.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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