My Terrier - Dalmation "Hildie" disappeared from our yard on Saturday July 6, 2013 sometime in the evening while fireworks were being shot off in the neighborhood. She was microchipped but did not have her collar on when she apparently climbed over our locked gate. She was frightened by loud noises and that night was especially difficult for many dogs due to the fireworks.
Hildie was microchipped, so if she ever is taken to a vet or shelter, we will be notified. That is what we are counting on at this point - three months down the road.
During my intensive search for her, I have come across many people who don't know what a microchip is and how it works. I want to share that information here in order to help other dog owners who may someday be in my shoes.
A microchip is a tiny ID device that is implanted under the dog's skin. It is NOT a GPS device, therefore, we cannot track where Hildie went or where she is now. However, it is an undisputed way to prove ownership and that is essential when you are dealing with people who might not be willing to return your dog.
If you want to have your pet microchipped, you can find this service for just a few dollars at one of the city Animal Services pet fairs. I think it was about $10 last time I had one of my pets chipped this way.
Another way you can get your pet chipped (and this is helpful if you have a horse or a pet that you can't get to one of those pet fairs), is to call a microchip practitioner, who will come to you home and do it for you. Typically, they charge $55.00 to come to you.
Pam Fernicola of Mobile Pet Microchipping (www.chippit.org) has a local service out of the Sunland-Tujunga area that can provide this service. Since collars and ID tags can easily be removed by someone who might choose to keep a lost dog, and since a tattoo will fade over time, Pam says it is always a better option to have a microchip. It won't hurt your pet and it WILL help your loved one be returned to you, giving you peace of mind if they ever get loose.
About six years ago, my black Lab mix Lily got away from me when I was walking her with my other two dogs at Sunland Park. My head was turned so I didn't see which way she went, but in a flash, she was gone. I searched the park and called for her for three days from my car window, slowing driving up and down streets in the area but there was no sign of her. I put up flyers everywhere and waited for a call. Then, just as I was going into panic mode (actually, I already was in panic mode!), I received a call from the East Valley Animal Shelter in L.A. Someone had dropped my dog off after finding her three days earlier and that was because of her microchip.
I was able to pick up my Lily that very day and take her home and she has NEVER left my side since. Obviously, it was very traumatic for her to be lost. So for those who have never microchipped their pet, I highly recommend it.
Since I've been searching for Hildie, I've run across a lot of people who have asked me questions about the microchip. Some have indicated that not all vets have the proper equipment to scan for microchips. Obviously, some people choose to focus on the negative.
I, however, choose to believe that most vets are honest people and that they DO scan animals that are brought to them (which is required by law). I also choose to invest my time in assuming that Hildie WILL be scanned if she is ever taken to a vet. I recently ran into a woman at my vet's office (Dr. Mohan or Shadow Hills Pet Clinic), who told me that she got her bulldog back after he was stolen out of her yard six months previously -- because he had a microchip. The person who brought her dog to the vet had bought him on Craigs List and was surprised when she learned that the dog was going to be taken away from her and returned to its rightful owner.
I applaud all the vets out there who support microchipping and who routinely scan dogs that are new patients. I encourage everyone to pass this blog on to their vet to encourage and endorse this practice.
I know that someday I am going to receive a call from one of those vets saying that Hildie is in their office and waiting for me to pick her up and take her home.
