fbpx
Category: News
Home / Blog /
Microchip Critical to Upping Odds of Being Reunited with a Lost Pet

There are pet holidays scattered throughout the calendar year, and today is National Check the Chip Day, highlighting an important aspect when talking about tools, in this instance the microchip, to use should your pet go missing.

According to the American Humane Association, approximately 10 million dogs and cats are lost or stolen in the United States annually – and about one in every three pets will go missing at some point in their lives.

While the reasons pets go missing are numerous, there is one measure you can take that drastically increases the likelihood of being reunited with your beloved pet – microchipping.

A microchip is a tiny computer chip, about the size of a grain of rice that is programmed with an identification number unique to your pet. It is non-toxic, non-allergenic, and lasts the life of your pet with no maintenance required.

A study by the American Veterinary Medical Association found that just 22 percent of lost dogs and less than two percent of lost cats that entered animal shelters were reunited with their families. However, for animals that were microchipped, the return-to-owner rate for dogs was more than 52 percent, and more than 38 percent for microchipped cats!

The numbers speak for themselves, microchipping increases your chances that you will get your pet back if it becomes lost or stolen.

But, it should not be the only part of your lost pet strategy. Collars with up-to-date tags are the main form of identification and the quickest way to identify a found pet.

Pepe was missing for nearly two years, but thanks to a microchip he’s now back home.

Tags and microchips are only useful if the contact and registration information is current! Make sure to check the information annually to keep everything up-to-date.

Bottom line, microchipping is effective and at ARL, we have seen numerous animals reunited with their owners thanks to a microchip.

Recently, ARL took in a 15-year-old stray cat who did have a microchip.

Thankfully, the contact information was correct, and the owner of the cat was overjoyed when contacted as the cat had been missing for nearly two years!

Thanks to having a microchip, the cat is now back in his loving home where he belongs.

In that moment of realization that a pet has gone missing, it’s important to stay calm, and take immediate action by following these 5 steps to increase the likelihood of a happy reunion with your pet: 

  • Call your local Animal Control Officer of the town where you live, and of the town that your pet went missing in.
  • File a lost report with the Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL) either in person, over the phone, or online. This lost report is seen by all three ARL locations. The staff will ask you to provide a photo of your pet.
  • Contact your pet’s microchip company if your pet has one, to notify them that your pet is lost. Be sure to confirm that your contact information is current.
  • File a lost report with every shelter within a 60-mile radius of where your pet went missing. Oftentimes, concerned citizens will pick up a stray pet they see on the side of the road and bring it to a shelter that is close to their destination instead of close to where they found the animal.
  • Don’t give up! Many pets go missing for months before being reunited with their owners. Stay positive, stay vigilant and continue to search for them as long as you can.

Additionally, You can also reach out to local missing pet groups online – Missing Dogs Massachusetts has a large following on Facebook and the more eyes you have looking for your pet the better!

While you may feel helpless when a pet goes missing, remember you are not alone. Networking with other animal lovers to help in your search increases your chances of having your beloved pet returned safe and sound.

Anna Harris Smith Legacy Society® Spotlight: Graham and Nicki Hird

Whether you are human or animal, one thing is for certain when you work with Graham and Nicki Hird, it’s going to be an adventure!

Graham and Nicki have a warm presence about them that comforts people and animals alike. They have been married over 50 years, and after retiring from their joint travel agency business, they are taking

the time to do the things they love most, which is helping animals!

They began volunteering with ARL after losing their two beloved Golden Retrievers. Knowing they were not ready to adopt another dog, they thought volunteering would be a great way to spend some time with dogs in need.

Volunteering quickly turned into fostering, and fostering eventually led to adopting! They “foster failed”, which is what we call the kind people who end up adopting their foster animal. Both Graham and Nicki were surprised they fostered as many dogs as they did before adopting their pup, Big Red.

Since adopting, the couple has shifted the way they support ARL. They are active participants in ARL’s Roving Rover program! This program is designed for volunteers to take shelter dogs out for field trips.

For Nicki and Graham, this often means bringing a dog for a ride and going to the beach, or even just going to run errands at the many dog-friendly Cape Cod businesses!

Graham and Nicki agree that one of the most important aspects of volunteering is feeling your time was well spent, and they certainly feel that way after spending the day adventuring with an ARL dog. They also take comfort in the fact that all the dogs happily and willingly return to the Animal Care & Adoption Center after their outing, highlighting the quality care all the animals receive there.

In addition to their volunteer support, Graham and Nicki are also members of the Anna Harris Smith Legacy Society®, a special recognition for donors who name ARL in their estate plans/wills. Nicki wishes that more people understood that you do not have to be exorbitantly wealthy or leave an organization all of your money to make a planned gift, saying, “I think the fallacy of leaving a “Legacy” connotes massive quantities of money, so many people do not consider it. The amount is not relevant. You are leaving a gift from your heart to something that is important to you, and that’s what really matters!”

Did you know August is National Make-A-Will Month?

Just as animals have touched your life, you can forever touch the lives of animals by including the Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL) in your will or financial plans.

Learn how to leave your print and make more than a lifetime of impact for animals.

When you include ARL in your Will or other plans, you become a member of the Anna Harris Smith Legacy Society® and join the company of compassionate supporters like Graham and Nicki, who want their dedication to the well-being of animals to continue long into the future.

Have you included, or are you thinking of including ARL in your will? Let us know so we can thank you! Please contact Jackie at jsmith@arlboston.org.

ARL Rescues Stray Kitten Trapped Below Fall River Boardwalk

Stray kitten now in permanent home

This past week, a nine-week-old stray kitten was rescued by the Animal Rescue League of Boston’s (ARL) Field Services Department after finding itself at the bottom of a steep embankment below a Fall River, MA, boardwalk, and unable to get out.

The situation unfolded in the area of The Cove Restaurant and Marina in Fall River, when a couple walking along the boardwalk area heard the kitten mewing and contacted ARL for assistance.

ARL Field Services responded to the area and spotted the kitten curled up on a rock.

See local news coverage of the rescue.

The kitten was about 20 feet below the boardwalk, and the steeply sloped and rocky area was not accessible without risk of injury, and the fear was the kitten would run and hide if responders attempted to come down to his level.

ARL contacted Fall River Animal Control to assist in the rescue, and ARL’s agents tied a humane cat trap to ropes and lowered it down to the area in an attempt to trap the animal.

On-scene responders held the door to the trap open while others would throw food to try and tempt the kitten into the trap.

After about 40 minutes, the kitten, showing signs of obvious hunger, drew closer and eventually stepped into the trap to get to the food that had been placed inside.

Once inside the trap, ARL’s agent snapped it shut, and raised the trap back to the boardwalk, where the kitten was safely placed in a carrier for transport.

The kitten, now named Wharf, was transported to ARL’s Boston Animal Care and Adoption Center, where he was immediately fed and given a thorough veterinary exam.

Aside from being ravenously hungry and frightened, Wharf was in good overall health.

It’s anyone’s guess how the kitten wound up in his precarious position, but ARL  focused on finding Wharf the permanent home he deserves, which he found just days after coming to the organization!

ARL wishes to thank the Good Samaritans who reported the wayward kitten, and Fall River Animal Control for their assistance in rescuing this adventurous animal.

Stray Kitten Discovered in Car Engine Compartment

Stray Kitten Now in the Care of ARL

This past week, a nine-week-old stray kitten was brought to the Animal Rescue League of Boston’s (ARL) Dedham Animal Care and Adoption Center after a car mechanic discovered the little guy hiding in the engine compartment of a vehicle.

Once the kitten was discovered at Mavis Tire and Brakes, Dedham Animal Control was contacted and the officer was able to safely capture the kitten, thus ending his harrowing adventure.

Thankfully the kitten was not injured or burned while the car was in motion.

After a little clean-up to remove the motor oil from his fur, the kitten, now named Mavis, was transported to ARL to undergo a veterinary exam and be placed into foster care until he’s old enough to find a loving home.

Although timid, Mavis is a sweet and friendly kitten, who is sure to be a wonderful companion animal and will now be an indoor-only cat to avoid future car adventures.

It’s unknown how Mavis ended up in the engine compartment, but it’s likely he was spooked by something and was seeking a seemingly safe place to hide.

During the winter it’s common to come across an animal in an engine compartment as outdoor cats are drawn to the warmth.

However, it is very uncommon to find an animal in this precarious position during the summer months, and ARL would like to thank Dedham Animal Control and Mavis Tire and Brakes for finding and rescuing this animal who will soon begin the next chapter of his life.

Herb Chambers Partners with ARL for Too Hot for Spot® Campaign

This week, the Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL) and Herb Chambers welcomed members of the media to ARL’s Dedham Campus for a hot car demonstration as part of ARL’s annual Too Hot for Spot® safety campaign, which has educated pet owners about summer safety for a decade.

Herb Chambers is the newest community partner to join ARL in spreading this important summer pet safety message, and ARL continues to be grateful to the New England Revolution, Massachusetts State Police, and Massachusetts Department of Transportation for their ongoing support.

ARL is thrilled to have the well-known car magnate and animal lover lend his voice to highlight the importance of keeping our pets safe when the mercury rises.

Additionally, several Herb Chambers dealerships will soon be displaying Too Hot for Spot® materials, to further amplify the message.

ARL is marking 10 years of the Too Hot for Spot® campaign, but unfortunately, we are still seeing plenty of instances where an animal’s life is put in danger due to being left in a hot vehicle, several of which have happened in just the past month.

With temperatures this summer being well above average, it’s imperative this message reaches as many pet owners as possible.

Leaving an animal in a hot car is the number one cause of deadly heatstroke in pets.

When temperatures rise, so do concerns about animal safety.

Even when the mercury dips below 80 degrees, the threat of heat stroke still exists.

Within five minutes, a vehicle’s interior temperature can rise above 118 degrees on a 75-degree day, even with the windows cracked.

During this week’s hot car demonstration, with outside temperatures around 90 degrees, after a thermometer was placed in an ARL vehicle, it took less than three minutes for the interior temperature of the vehicle to reach nearly 120 degrees!

Learn more about important pet safety tips and guidelines and remember — when the temperatures rise, it’s Too Hot for Spot®!

ARL Caring for Injured 10-Year-Old Stray Cat

Stray cat suffering multiple medical issues

The Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL) is currently caring for a 10-year-old cat that was found as a stray and is suffering from a multitude of medical issues.

Though not out of the woods, ARL’s medical intervention has likely saved the animal’s life.

The female cat, now named Wren, was found in Norwood, MA, in late June, and upon intake at ARL’s Dedham Animal Care and Adoption Center, one medical issue was certainly noticeable.

Wren had large wounds on her neck and face, however, it is unknown if the wounds were caused by a hot liquid burn, allergic reaction, or infection – but it was her underlying medical issues that were most concerning.

Wren had pyometra, a uterine infection that can be life-threatening if left untreated.

Additionally, Wren was very thin and diagnosed with diabetes, which had likely not been treated previously.

Wren’s wounds were immediately treated, as was her pyometra during spay surgery, but following treatment, the cat was not eating and losing weight.

With her outcome up in the air, Wren thankfully took a liking to wet food suitable for cats living with diabetes and fortunately has begun to put weight back on.

The cat is now in foster care to continue the healing process, and ARL’s veterinary staff has also begun a treatment plan to regulate her diabetes.

Wren’s wounds are healing and her health is improving, however, there is no timeline on when Wren may be made available for adoption as she still has a long road to recovery ahead of her.

Help Wren and Animals Like Her

ARL provides the highest standards of veterinary care, and in the case of Wren, her cost of care is estimated to exceed $10,000.

ARL is committed to helping every animal in the organization heal and thrive, but we cannot do it alone.

When you donate to ARL, you are helping Wren and animals like her by ensuring they receive the care they need and deserve, and once healed can begin the next chapter of their lives in a loving home.

Anyone interested in contributing to her treatment can visit support.arlboston.org/Wren to donate.

Long-Time ARL Volunteer Launches Coffee Table Book to Benefit ARL

A coffee table book featuring extraordinary photography by long-time Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL) volunteer and Cape Cod resident Kim Roderiques was recently unveiled at two well-known Cape establishments and is now available for purchase at numerous book stores – the proceeds of which will benefit ARL.

Dogs in the Province Lands features dog photos captured in many of the beautiful locations of the Province Lands and Provincetown.

The launch parties were held at the iconic Governor Bradford Restaurant in Provincetown and Orpheum Theater in Chatham, where dozens of ARL supporters were able to get a first glimpse of the book, and meet the author/photographer.

Proceeds of the coffee table book will support animals in need at ARL and can be purchased at the following locations:

East End Books
Ptown: 389 Commercial St., Provincetown, MA 02657

Fine Arts Work Center:  24 Pearl St., Provincetown, MA 0265

Boston: 300 Pier 4 Blvd., Boston, MA 02210

www.eastendbooksptown.com

508-413-3225

The Mayflower
475 Main Street Chatham, MA 02633

508-945-0065

www.themayflowershop.com

Provincetown Art Association and Museum (PAAM)
460 Commercial St., Provincetown, MA 02657
org

Provincetown Bookshop
229 Commercial St., Provincetown, MA 02657
provincetownbookshop.com
508-487-0964

Paws & Whiskers
306 Commercial St, Provincetown, MA 02657
508-487-3441

The Trading Company
614 Main St.Chatham, MA 02633

508-945-9191

www.tradingcompanychatham.com

Where the Sidewalk Ends
432 Main St., Chatham, MA 02633

www.booksonthecape.com

(508)945-0499

Yellow Umbrella Books

501 Main St, Chatham, MA 02633

508- 945-0144

 

National Pet Fire Safety Day

Too Hot for Spot®: “National Pet Fire Safety Day” Tips to Keep Pets Safe

July 15 is National Pet Fire Safety Day and it reminds us that pets are often vulnerable victims of home fires. An estimated 500,000 pets are affected annually by house fires, according to a data analysis by the National Fire Protection Association.

Planning for unexpected emergencies like home fires and taking these precautions are an integral part of responsible pet ownership. The following tips are suggestions for pet owners on how to prevent your beloved pet from starting a fire, as well as how to keep your pets safe.

What you can do to keep your pets safe: Pet emergency decal affixed to window

  • Keep Pets Near Entrances When Away From Home – Keep collars on pets and leashes ready to go in case firefighters need to rescue your pet. When leaving pets home alone, keep them in areas or rooms near entrances where firefighters can easily find them.
  • Secure Young Pets – Especially with young puppies, keep them confined away from potential fire-starting hazards when you are away from home such as in crates or behind baby gates in secure areas.
  • Since Pets Left Alone Can’t Escape a Burning Home – Consider using monitored smoke detectors which are connected to a monitoring center so emergency responders can be contacted when you’re not home. These systems provide an added layer of protection beyond battery-operated smoke alarms.
  • Affix a Pet Alert Window Cling Like Ours – Write down the number of pets inside your house and attach a “Pet Rescue” decal to your front window. This critical information can help save rescuers time when locating your pets. Make sure to update the number of pets listed.

Special thanks to all of the firefighters out there who put their own lives at risk every day to help people and their pets.

More information about summer pet safety.

 

Future Focus: Strategic Plan Goal 4

Improve the lives of animals.

Objectives

1. Lead the way for animal welfare by working closely with legislators and volunteers to advance key laws and policies that benefit animals across Massachusetts.

2. Protect more animals through humane law enforcement and by providing training for local and state police and animal control officers.

3. Create the next generation of compassionate animal advocates through humane education opportunities for youth.

Vision in Action

ARL partnered with the Suffolk County District Attorney, state and local law enforcement officers, and other animal welfare groups to create an animal cruelty task force that aims to coordinate law enforcement efforts to fight animal cruelty. It is the first task force of its kind in the county and we are proud to be on the front lines of these important efforts to protect animals from abuse. Along with improving collaborative law enforcement animal cruelty investigation, the task force will also identify and target legislation that will protect animals not just in Suffolk County, but throughout the state.

group photo of the Cruelty Task Force inside ARL Boston

Learn more about ARL’s 2024-2028 Strategic Plan for the Future.

Some July 4th Activities Can Be Too Hot for Spot®

Keep your pup cool with these 5 safety tips and a DIY frozen treat

For humans across the United States, the Fourth of July signifies a time for family and friends, BBQs, beaches, and fireworks. For our canine friends, however, the holiday can be one of over-stimulation – too many people, too much sun, loud noises, and overwhelming smells.

This July 4th, the Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL) and Boston Veterinary Care (BVC) want to remind you that the summer heat and bustle of the weekend’s festivities may be too stressful on your pup.

Keep your dog safe by following these 5 important tips:

  1. Leave your pup indoors in a small quiet cool room. Tuning on a TV or radio at a low volume can help detract from outside noises. Leave them free to roam around so that they don’t feel too confined.
  2. Always keep your canine on a leash or in a carrier if they must be outside. Set them up in a cool shady spot with ample air flow and plenty of fresh water.
  3. Keep your pooch away from potentially hazardous objects. Secure your pet a good distance from fireworks, sparklers, BBQs, and pools. Remember that some pets can become “fearfully aggressive” due to loud noises, so monitor them closely, especially around small children.
  4. Never leave your pup alone in a parked car if they must travel with you. On a hot day, the temperature inside a parked car can cause deadly heatstroke- even with the windows cracked.
  5. Make sure your dog’s microchip and ID tag information is current. Many animal shelters report increases of “stray” animals after July 4th due to the number of pets running away from the noise and excitement. Be sure your contact information is current and always on your pup’s collar to ensure an easy reunion should they be separated from you.

Your best bet? Leaving your dog at home is always the right decision for you and your pet. Prevention is responsible pet ownership.

Learn more at arlboston.org/summersafety

Want to keep your pup cool and occupied in the summer heat? Learn how to make this simple DIY frozen dog treat!

DIY summer dog treats