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Public service announcement - Please update your pets' chip identifying information

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 number4 (original poster member #62204) posted at 3:01 AM on Tuesday, November 19th, 2024

This story has a happy ending. Two months ago, my son-in-law found a dog wandering a major road near their home, near a park that is known for dog-dumping. The dog had a collar, so he assumed the owner would be easy to find. The dog was indeed chipped, but the chip company got no response when they reached out to the listed owner. My daughter and SIL were not willing to permanently rescue the dog as they already have three rescued dogs who are seniors with their own set of medical needs. When the owners did not respond after a week, they began to look for someone they knew to adopt him. He was incredibly well-trained (which sort of suggested he'd been well cared for) - had several commands he could follow, was completely house-broken, walked well on a leash, etc. But he was high energy (not sure if he was a full pittie, or had some mix in him) and intact.

The first person they knew who showed some interest though, wasn't quite sure she could handle him as she is in her mid 60s. He did a few overnights with her, and she just wouldn't commit. Days turned into weeks, and the lost dog's high energy did not mesh well with our daughter's larger dog, which is also a pittie mix. When I heard the woman was tentative due to his energy level, I told them I'd pay for them to get him fixed, which they did about four weeks ago. There had been a few skirmishes. But they just couldn't take him to a shelter because they knew there'd be a high risk of him being e-listed. They even hung onto him when they had to go out of town and had a dog sitter stay at the house, which wasn't ideal if the two big dogs had gotten into another skirmish.

They started working on other people they knew to adopt him, and it looked like a neighbor was showing some serious interest, which would have been ideal because they'd started to get attached to him at almost two months with them. Then yesterday, they were out walking in their neighborhood when they saw a flyer on a utility pole with the dog's name, a picture of him, and a description of his personality. They knew right away it was the dog they'd found - they knew his given name via the chip company and that's the name that was on the flyer. Our SIL called the number on the flyer immediately, and they arranged to meet up yesterday afternoon. Evidently the man on the phone was crying with relief that he'd found his dog after two months. Our daughter video'd the reunion, and when the dog saw his owner from across the parking lot, he started pulling with all his might to get to him, and the next scene was like it played out of a clip of a deployed person returning home to his dog after being gone for months/years. The dog jumped all over him, kissing him, climbing up on him, tail wagging non-stop. It was obvious that this dog missed this human terribly (although he didn't lead too bad of a life at our daughter's house!).

As far as the communication breakdown, the owner had forgotten to update some contact information, so the chip company couldn't reach him. Had our son-in-law and daughter taken this dog to a shelter, he might likely have been killed. The dog was 4.5 years old, and the owner didn't flinch when he found out they'd had him neutered, saying it's something he probably should have done earlier. They were a bit worried that he'd be pissed about that. Our son-in-law told us they he'd been hearing stories about how common it is for people who get their pets chipped, to not update contact information as it changes. I know it's something we've done the several times we've moved in the last nine years, but it's easy to overlook when you're overwhelmed with the stress of moving.

So.... PLEASE, update your contact information on your pets. It could save a pet's life!

Me: BWHim: WHMarried - 30+ yearsTwo adult daughters1st affair: 2005-20072nd-4th affairs: 2016-2017Many assessments/polygraph: no sex addictionStatus: R

posts: 1374   ·   registered: Jan. 10th, 2018   ·   location: New England
id 8854215
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zebra25 ( member #29431) posted at 6:15 PM on Tuesday, November 19th, 2024

That lost pup was very lucky to be found by your DD and SIL!!

Great reminder to have dogs chipped and keep info up to date.

"Don't let anyone who hasn't been in your shoes tell you how to tie your laces."

D-day April 2010

posts: 3681   ·   registered: Aug. 25th, 2010
id 8854265
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tushnurse ( member #21101) posted at 11:50 PM on Tuesday, November 19th, 2024

What a wonderful story!!!!
It's amazing that your kids kept him as long as they did. It's also amazing that they were relieved to find him and happy with the fixing.
I found a Cane Corso in the midst of a blizzard a few years ago. H was super sweet and intense (everything the breed is supposed to be) and was still hopelessly lost from his people.
Luckily FB quickly connected us to his people. We belong to several groups for our region to help pets reconnect with owners.
We had him for a few days and he was so sad but I was also very leary to bring him in with my dogs as they are known to be super protective and he was far too big for me to manhandle.

Anyway glad he found his people glad your kids were able to help that boy find his family.

I can tell you the breeder we use insists on being first contact with the chip and owners second. She has gou d several of he super dogs this way when families fail. She has saved several dogs that their owners failed them.

We haven't changed our info in over 30 years so no worries for us. Lol.

Congrats. Thank you for the reminder.

Me: FBSHim: FWSKids: 23 & 27 Married for 32 years now, was 16 at the time.D-Day Sept 26 2008R'd in about 2 years. Old Vet now.

posts: 20302   ·   registered: Oct. 1st, 2008   ·   location: St. Louis
id 8854295
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KitchenDepth5551 ( member #83934) posted at 1:49 AM on Wednesday, November 20th, 2024

That is a great story.

We get an email message every year about updating our info from the chip company. Our vet that put in the chips is a primary contact to my knowledge, but I am too. It works for me now. I would not be ok with a breeder insisting on being the only primary contact for my pet especially after my ownership, but I'm not experienced at all with that world. Still mine if I bought it, but if it mattered to me I could take out the chip. Sad.

posts: 94   ·   registered: Sep. 27th, 2023
id 8854303
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tushnurse ( member #21101) posted at 1:22 PM on Wednesday, November 20th, 2024

Kitchen D.
We are listed as well it the breeder has saved a few of great dogs being dumped and has first right of refusal if owners no longer are able to keep or if they just can't with these high energy working dogs (as my current guy is dragging a moose antler across the living room, after running up and down the steps a thousand times playing fetch).

Me: FBSHim: FWSKids: 23 & 27 Married for 32 years now, was 16 at the time.D-Day Sept 26 2008R'd in about 2 years. Old Vet now.

posts: 20302   ·   registered: Oct. 1st, 2008   ·   location: St. Louis
id 8854328
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SackOfSorry ( member #83195) posted at 6:07 PM on Wednesday, November 20th, 2024

As a breeder, I was listed as second contact on our puppies' microchips. Our microchips were purchased from the kennel club. I'm very active in kennel club activities - I'm on the executive of a local all-breed club so the national kennel club is always going to have my contact info even if I move.

FWIW, I chipped and tattooed all of our puppies. I tried to protect them as much as I could.

Me - BW
DDay - May 4, 2013

And nothing's quite as sure as change. (The Mamas and the Papas)

posts: 171   ·   registered: Apr. 11th, 2023
id 8854351
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Lalagirl ( member #14576) posted at 4:26 PM on Monday, November 25th, 2024

Bittersweet story, so glad he was loved and well cared for on his 2 month hiatus from his family.

Thank you so much for this reminder. Just went in and updated my boy’s info. He’s a German Shepherd Dog; he weighed 13 pounds when I registered him with the microchip company and that’s what was still in the database. He weighs 87 pounds now so a bit of a difference. 😂 I also had an old phone number in there.

Best PSA ever! God Bless you! 🐾😊

Me-58 FWH-60 Married 40 years 9/2/2023 grown daughters-40&36.14yo GS,11yo GD & 9yo GD (DD40); 12yo GD & 7yo GD(DD36). D-day #1-1/06; D-day #2-3/07 Reconciled! Construction Complete. Astra inclinant, sed non obligant

posts: 8905   ·   registered: May. 10th, 2007
id 8854716
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 number4 (original poster member #62204) posted at 12:27 AM on Wednesday, November 27th, 2024

Thank you so much for this reminder. Just went in and updated my boy’s info.

Awesome! Glad my story inspired others to take steps to make sure everything is up-to-date! And I needed a taste of my own medicine - when I went in to double-check my information again, I did not have auto-renewal on, so my membership had expired!! I also never updated our vet since our move. For some reason, I did not have his birthdate in the system either. So I had some work to do. There was also a field for listing our pet medical insurance that I had not filled in (which we do have). But I'm all up-to-date now. Phew!

Regarding who's listed as contacts, I have my H as first back-up, then have our daughter who we live by, as a third contact. Our breeder did not tell us that she needed to be listed as a contact for chips, but we did have to sign a contract that states we will never re-home him ourselves, that we have to do that through her, which would be complicated since she still lives in the Chicago area, and we are in New England.

Me: BWHim: WHMarried - 30+ yearsTwo adult daughters1st affair: 2005-20072nd-4th affairs: 2016-2017Many assessments/polygraph: no sex addictionStatus: R

posts: 1374   ·   registered: Jan. 10th, 2018   ·   location: New England
id 8854840
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tushnurse ( member #21101) posted at 1:59 PM on Wednesday, November 27th, 2024

Out breeder is in Northrn MN and we are south of StL.its a long drive and both tikes we picked up our boys it was dur8ng a polar vortex. Not a fun drive. But the ride home was 8+hours of bonding time.

Me: FBSHim: FWSKids: 23 & 27 Married for 32 years now, was 16 at the time.D-Day Sept 26 2008R'd in about 2 years. Old Vet now.

posts: 20302   ·   registered: Oct. 1st, 2008   ·   location: St. Louis
id 8854863
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