Why Your Dog Needs A Microchip And ID!

You may remember Baker the Beagle from our grooming day at Chicago Animal Care and Control (CACC) earlier this month. Baker ended up at the pound after he was picked up as a stray. He had no microchip or identification, so the shelter had no way of locating his family. Lady Luck, however, was shining on this dog and his family. Although Baker had been bathed, brushed, massaged, shown off and advertised, no one adopted him.

A few days after his makeover, a volunteer was walking Baker in the shelter's yard just as his "dad" was arriving at the building across the street for a job interview. The next thing the volunteer knew, Baker's dad was dashing toward the fence calling, "Nicky? Nicky?" At the same time, Baker/Nicky was wildly wagging his tail and trying to dig his way under the fence to reach his dad! The man called his wife and son, and they came in that day to reunite with the lost dog they thought they'd never see again. Baker/Nicky's little "brother" burst into tears when a shelter volunteer led him to the dog's cage.

Baker/Nicky's family had been desperately searching for him after he was lost, but they had never heard of CACC and had no idea where to look.

Baker/Nicky's story is a lesson for all dog owners about the importance of canine identification. If the dog had had a microchip or identification tags on his collar, the shelter would have immediately located his family and he would have been home. Because the dog had no chip and no ID, Baker was stuck at the pound and could very easily have ended up with someone else or worse. If your precious pooch hasn't been microchipped, please call your vet ASAP for an appointment! If you're short on cash, many shelters and animal welfare organizations offer microchips at a reduced fee or for free. In addition, your dog should always be wearing his ID tags. The tags must be legible and list current information too.

If your dog is lost, call every single shelter in the area. Look in the phone book and ask around for shelter names and locations. Like Baker/Nicky, your pooch could be waiting at a shelter you've never heard of before. Calling the police and all local veterinary offices is a good idea too. That said, preventing your dog from becoming lost is your dog's first line of defense. Therefore, never allow your dog to run free or leave him unsupervised in your yard.