How to keep a missing dog from being a forever loss

Last night on my way home, I encountered a small black dog shivering in the street.  I stopped my car, picked up the shivering small black poodle, warmed it in my jacket and walked up to the nearest house, ringing the bell repeatedly with no answer.  I checked the little guy up0 and down, but there was no collar, tags or other markings that might of identified it.

Always make sure your dog has its collar and tags at all time. Even if an identification tag comes off, ownership can be traced through county rabies records.

I brought the dog home, who my 19-year-old tagged Buddy, and called the police.  The local authorities found no record of a lost puppy.

Always call the police immediately once it is determined the dog is missing.

Fifteen minutes later a concerned animal control office contacted me.  Again he confirmed there were no reports.

Rather than drag animal control out on a dark and stormy night Buddy cuddled up in a small carrier at the foot of my teenager’s bed and slept peacefully through the night.  It was obvious the dog had recently received water and food and had no accidents.

The poodle’s hair had been cut and nails also were trimmed.  It was obvious that in my semi-rural area full of dark road, coyotes and corn fields, this little guy hadn’t been outside very long.  Both animal control officers and I marveled at the lack of report on this obviously cared for pet.

Come morning, we again touched base with animal control before my daughter and I set out to ring doorbells in the area where Buddy had been found. 

Meanwhile my mother called local stores to see if anyone had placed fliers.  Had there been no response, my next act would have been to take him to our local vet to have a microchip reader scan to determine if the dog’s owner had paid for the rice-grain computer chip that cannot be lost of removed.

However, that wasn’t necessary.  As my daughter and I walked up a driveway, middle –age woman called out of her second-floor window to us.  “Did you find my dog?”

Pepper, as he is legally known was reunited with his family.  However, in the course of neighborly conversation, Pepper’s owner acknowledged she had put the dog outside in the dark night in the unfenced front yard, yards from a darkly lit major road and then returned inside to use the bathroom.

Further she not only acknowledged that she didn’t know who to call, but 14 hours after the dog went missing and with her nine year old daughter in near hysteria, she still hadn’t reported the loss to police,  saying she didn’t’[t know who to call.

Lastly she admitted that the dog wasn’t chipped.   As a matter of course, she said she had never even heard of the resource, those sited a local vet who should have made such information available, and encouraged it to be used.

So to recap:

Make sure all pets have identification on collars. Even inside animals can slip out of doors during a party, holiday or when they are being cared for by a person unfamiliar with their routine.  Hours of stress could \have been averted with one cell phone call from the car.

Make sure you have handy the number for the local non emergency police department and/or animal control.  In some cases animals are found and adopted to new families because their previous one never checked with local authorities.

Make sure you keep an eye on all animals outside, even if they are confined in a yard.  And never walk an animal off leash in an unconfined space.  A car door slam, stray cat, athletic rabbit or another dog can cause even the best behaved animal to spook.  And in a foot race between four footed and two footed contestants, four feet almost always win.

Have pictures of your pet, especially any that show significant and unique markings. 

In a case in which more than one person may attempt to claim the dog, pictures provide the best evidence of ownership. Also keep shot records, adoption or purchase papers and any other documents that prove ownership. 

Some animal control officers are required to obtain such documentation or proof prior to release.   In my little friend’s case, local authorities would have allowed me to keep the dog for the 72 hour period during which his family would have needed to claim him.  After that it would have been off to a local shelter and a brand new start.

And spend the extra dollars at the veterinarian to get the animal chipped.  The painless device is administered through a needle much the way a shot is given and can be done while the pet is asleep during neutering service.

Most law enforcement, animal welfare and vet clinics own readers that operate like grocery store scanners, reporting a number and manufacturer.  Manufacturer records trace back to the vet who placed the chip and a happy ending is had by all.