Earlier this year, Vets4Pets customer Adam Kelly experienced every puppy owner’s worst nightmare when he noticed his English Springer Spaniels, Maggie and Ida, had gone missing. During the run-up to Dog Theft Awareness Day (14 March), Adam hopes his story will raise awareness about the importance of microchipping after he was reunited with his two eight-week-old puppies.
Once Adam had contacted the local police about the dog theft, he alerted national microchipping database, identibase, and let them know that his puppies had been stolen. He also contacted a Facebook group dedicated to searching for lost pets and a post on the page appealing for help soon received almost 8,000 shares from across the country.
The next day, Adam received a call from the team at Vets4Pets Bedlington to let him know Maggie and Ida had been found in a cardboard box in an underpass in the Bedlington area and brought into the vets.
Adam said: “It was such a relief when I received the call telling me Maggie and Ida had been found. Once they were back home, after a thorough check over and a bowl full of food, they were both fast asleep in their own warm bed in no time.
“For anyone who is considering buying a puppy, I cannot stress enough how important microchipping is and strongly advise every pet owner to check up on their dog’s microchips to make sure all the details are correct.
“Luckily, the Vets4Pets team were instantly able to get in contact with me when they found Maggie and Ida, and I can’t thank them enough for all their help!”
In the UK, it is a legal requirement for all puppies to be microchipped by the time they are eight weeks old. Puppies cannot be sold until they reach this age and they must be microchipped before you can buy them. Microchips are about the same size as a grain of rice and are implanted under their skin. Each individual chip has a unique 15-digit number which is stored on a specific database and linked to the owner’s contact details.
Robert Dorward, joint venture partner and veterinary surgeon at Vets4Pets Bedlington, added: “We are delighted that we were able to play a part in reuniting Adam with his beloved puppies. This story is a brilliant example of the importance of microchipping, and we hope it encourages as many pet owners as possible to make sure their dogs are microchipped.
“It’s a very simple and painless procedure which shouldn’t cause your pet any problems. If you have any questions or concerns around microchipping, be sure to contact your local vet.”
