Astonishing Secrets: A Lost Pet

This "astonishing secrets" series is all about things that go wrong with your pet, and to give you tips and hints on how to help them, till you can seek veterinary help. Because when your pet is sick or lost (or you have found a lost pet) who are ya gonna call?  Your vet, of course!

"I'm lost, and I want my Mummy. Can you help me?" asks Charlie,
trying not to cry!

From a pet's perspective, being lost or stolen, is horrible, and that is as distressing to them as any illness.  And from the pet owner's perspective, the gut wrenching feeling of a missing child.... well, that is undescribable.


Just a wee bit of history before I get to the useful stuff...In 2003 our dog, Sugar went missing.... and to this day, we never knew, one way or another, what happened to her. As a vet and as a pet owner, I do feel the excruciating pain of a missing pet.

But, it was a shock to me, that

1. Many vets did not scan new pets to check their microchips (I knew that we, at Russell Vale Animal Clinic did scan microchips, but at that time we had no way of checking any microchip registries...thankfully,  things have changed now.).  But in 2003, most vets did not scan and record the pet's microchip numbers on their computer systems, simply because most vets in Wollongong at the time, were not computerised.
2. Councils did not scan dead pets, nor inform the owners that their pet had turned up. (my local council advised me this was the case on multiple occasions.)
3. Councils did not keep a record of any dead pets that they picked up.... so there was no way to check.

Notwithstanding the knowledge that Sugar was a lovable Maltese Terrier, and that more likely than not, (or we hoped), that some well intentioned person, decided to keep her as a pet, her loss still hurts, ten years later. 

We would never know if her new carers did take her to a vet, as we live 30 minutes away from our vet hospital, which means that it was unlikely that the new owner of Sugar would come in to see us.  Thanks to Sugar and her houdini act (and the things we now knew about how the system can fail), we now scan and check all pets... and with that we have found stolen pets, pets with outdated details, and even pets who are not on any database registry in Australia.

And it is in memory of our lovable Houdini, Sugar that we started our scan and check.

Get Vets Scanning - all vets should scan and check
all pets when they come in for their twice a year
vet check.

Now, this Astonishing Secrets is all about how you can best help your pet. 

And it begins in the beginning... before your pet even goes missing, or stolen ....  can you prevent this from happening? 

Well, all you can do is the best that you can do.  But you can make it less traumatic when your pet does go missing.  Unfortunately, I can't prevent theft. My suggestion though is to make your pet less attractive to being stolen, which is getting them desexed -  as thieves like to steal dogs, especially staffies, for fighting and breeding, and cute dogs for breeding.


So, what can you do?



Our Scan & Check service is free



Every type of pet can be microchipped and placed onto a National (An Australia wide) registry.

1. Keep a record of your pet's microchip.
2. Get your pet scanned and checked EVERY year at your vet.    
3. Ask your vet to check the registry databases for the contact details to make sure they are up to date.
4. Keep your pet's microchip details in one, easy to find place (not a safe place, as if you are like me, everything gets lost in the safe place).
5. And if your pet is not microchipped, get it done. Now.
6. Follow your local governments laws on pet registration - in NSW all pets must be microchipped and registered by six months of age.

And then ask your vet to scan and check your pet at every single vet visit.

In 2012, over 16 stray pets were brought into Russell Vale Animal Clinic that were unmicrochipped.  That is a remarkable number given the fact that in NSW, microchipping your pet is a legal requirement for dogs and cats.

And I am only a solo vet, in a small suburb of Wollongong.  What would the numbers be if  other vets kept tabs like us?  That is an awful number of unmicrochipped stray pets, getting lost, and most likely euthenased, all because someone didn't take the first, most important step!

Microchip Implantation of Pets protects them
and you. 

The really first step? It is to microchip their pet with an Australian Veterinary Association Accredited Microchip Implant Centre. An Accredited Microchip Implant centre will take steps to ensure that your pet will get home, no matter where, in Australasia, they may happen to be found.

In NSW, most implanters just place them onto the NSW registry only, and really, this is so 1800's.... our pets don't know boundaries, and we are now supposed to be in a Commonwealth. 

An AVA Accredited microchip implanter is the way to go.

Now, I don't like our local authority or government in general, as they prefer to work against vets, rather than for them, but, the law is clear... all dogs and cats should be microchipped, and registered.

But they don't really care if the details are current or not after you have paid them the registration fee.  In NSW, the government takes no active steps to ask you to check your contact details, rather than placing the onus on you to do so when you move.... as if you don't have enough to do when you change houses.

But  your pet is missing, what do you do!

Teddy, our dog (RIP November 2011) is the face our
Facebook page for Lost & Found Pets in the Illawarra

Well... take big breaths, go inside, and do this....

1. Collect all of your pet's paperwork

2. Find their microchip number and a photo of them

3. Take another breath, and make yourself a cup of tea.

4. Call your local vet - they will be willing to take your pet's details, and give you advice on what you need to do.

5. Now you need to stretch your net - and I wish it could be a simple process, but it isn't.

Now the following is for NSW, so please ask your local vet as to what applies in your area....

Pet theft is a real concern in our area, but we need to remain positive and hoepful that our pet is just having a scenic tour of the neighbourhood, and will be home soon!

What next to do in NSW?

1. Contact your local council pound and inform them... this is a legal requirement if your pet has been missing for more than 2 days. And the sooner your do it, the better.
2. Check for the online missing pets register... in Wollongong, there is ours on facebook - which links to several others in NSW.
3. And then take big breaths... remember that many people will take the stray to the nearest vet they know and trust, which may not be the nearest vet to where the pet went missing... we have had pets found in Nowra brought in to us!  So spread your net.

Now I am going to be assuming that you, or your family team are out and about scouring the neighbourhood, and knocking doors, asking if anyone has seen your baby.

Don't do what I have seen happen... the owner rings all of their friends and relatives, the radio stations, and posts on their facebook page, but fails to ring the actual people who care and look after pets.. such as their local vet, and all other animal care professionals in the area.

Your local vet is your pet's best friend... when they are healthy, sad, or lost. 

 

Now, I hope you never need to read this, and need our help. If your pet is missing,  we do feel your pain.  As pet owners ourselves, we are there to support you...  if you need a friendly ear, then you can email me anytime at russellvalevet@gmail.com.

It will be one of those situations where I hope to never need to hear from you.