Yesterday, I returned to work after running an errand to find two dogs running loose in our parking lot. One of them, a friendly wheat colored terrier, had a city tag on its collar from 2005, with the name, "Roxy" scratched on the back. The other dog, a small shepherd cross, was wary and evasive. She, too, had a collar but no identification. They were both females and something about them really pulled at my heart. I could tell from their interaction with each other that they belonged together, even though they were very different breeds. I called the city to try to find out any owner information from the tag, but to no avail. I called a couple of vet clinics, too. One was not helpful at all, but the other one suggested I try to bring the dogs in to scan them for an identification chip.
Well, I knew the friendly dog could be coaxed into my car, but the other one was going to be a problem. She would take a treat, but then she scampered away. So, there I was, one dog in the back seat and the door open, trying to keep one dog in and persuade the other one to get in, too. I just couldn't bear the thought of separating them. Something told me that they knew each other and this would be disastrous for the one left behind. Then, something strange happened. Just as I was about to give up, the second dog laid down in front of the open door. She was having a very difficult time trusting me, but she seemed to know that her friend was going to leave in the car. I carefully petted her for a few seconds and asked her to get in the car. To my astonishment, she did just that. When we arrived at the clinic, I was her friend and all was well. They both walked well on leashes, and seemed to know what the vet clinic was all about, but no ID chips were found. The receptionist there also seemed to think these dogs belonged together and were lost. Because of her persuasion, Animal Aid, a local rescue agency, took them in and agreed to try to find their owners.
It's important to note that these dogs were approaching the onramp to a major highway when I intervened. Please, please, put identification on your pets that can easily be read by a stranger. Proper identification is critical for a lost pet and can be the difference between life and death. Time passes quickly and rabies and registration tags can expire. Phone numbers can change. Implants can be a great backup in the event that a collar is lost or removed. I know that these two dogs would have told me where home was if they could.
If you think you might know someone who lost these two dogs, please call Animal Aid at 744-8280. It's my understanding that they are very careful about positive identification of lost dogs to make sure they go to the real owners. That's why I don't have a photo posted of them. Thanks so much to Debbie at Heritage Vet Hospital and Animal Aid for looking out for these dogs.
