32 THE NEW BARKER www.TheNewBarker.com The day began as a normal day for Isabella, her service dog, Savannah and Tugboat, her cat, as they drove past Causeway Beach nearAnna Maria Island.Savannah,a Golden Retriever,had been Isabella’s partner for six years, while Tugboat was a newer addition to the family.Savannah and Isabella loved the young cat, who at just over a year old, walked on a leash, swam and played puppy games. Tug was looking intently out the window when his front paw inadvertently hit the power button to roll down the window. Before Isabella could react, the little cat was gone. Over the next four months, Isabella searched in vain for her cat. She checked rescues and shelters, passed out hundreds of flyers and posted information on Lost and Found Pets 941. Fortunately, Tug was microchipped. More than 120 days after he disappeared, Isabella got the call she had been praying for.Tug was alive and waiting for his family at BradentonAnimal Hospital.He had been hit by a car and dragged himself into the woods where Good Samaritans found him, fed him and took him to theVet’s office where his microchip was read. This heartwarming story is just one of thousands shared by pet owners who can personally attest to the value of microchip- ping. Pet microchips are implanted by a veterinarian through a quick injection. Each microchip contains a registration number and the phone number of the registry for the particular brand of chip.A handheld scanner at a shelter, rescue or veteri- narian’s office reads the radio frequency of the chip and displays this information. All European Union (EU) Member Countries and many other countries of the world require that pets have a 15 digit non-encrypted ISO (International Standards Organization) microchip for identification. This global standard creates a consistent identification system worldwide. For example, if a dog is implanted with an ISO standard microchip in the U.S., travels to Europe with its owners and becomes lost, the ISO standard scanners in Europe would be able to read the dog's microchip. Although microchipping is a critical component for keeping pets out of shelters and rescues, there are no laws requiring microchipping in the United States.A 2009 study of more than 7,700 strays at shelters, found that dogs without microchips were returned to their owners 21.9% of the time, while microchipped dogs were returned to their owners 52.2% of the time.Cats with- out microchips were reunited with their owners only 1.8% of the time, but microchipped cats went home 38.5% of the time.The microchipped animals that weren't returned to their owners had missing, incorrect or outdated owner information in the microchip registry database. Many in the rescue community believe that in addition to spay and neuter- ing, microchipping is a critical component to decrease the number of pets languishing in shelters. In a shared mission, Animal Network, Inc., Humane Society of Manatee County and Animal Rescue Coalition (ARC) are partnering with Lost Pet Services, to offer microchip clinics throughout Manatee and Sarasota Counties. Founded by Patty Giarrusso in 2013, Lost Pet Services is the largest, most active lost and found group in the Manatee/Sarasota County area. Their free service reached 16,000 members by January 2018 and has reunited thousands of pets with their owners. An equally important way to keep your pet safe is by ensuring they are wear- ing their County Tag. In Manatee County, this mandatory tag serves as a “Free Ride” home. If an officer picks up a lost dog or cat wearing a tag (or implanted with a microchip), the officer will bring the pet straight home, avoiding the expense and trauma of impound. If a Good Samaritan finds a pet wearing the tag, they can go to PetData to obtain the owner’s first name and phone number. The $15-$20 cost of the tag is a small price to pay for your pet’s safety.Tags are available at Pet Data with proof of rabies vaccination, at veterinarian’s offices or through Manatee County Animal Services. Please be sure your pets are microchipped and wear county tags so if they are lost, they can be found. by Deb Starr Lost and Found. The Case for Microchipping and Registering Your Pets. Savannah and Tugboat. Don’t Lose Your Loved One. Remember, A Little TLC Goes A Long Way: Tag, License and Chip Your Pet. Lost Pet Services, a local 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to reuniting lost pets in Manatee and Sarasota counties, successfully reunited over 1,800 lost pets with their owners during 2017. Lost Pet Services operates through its Facebook group, Lost and Found Pets 941 (Manatee & Sarasota) and its website. Beginning in 2013, the organization has reunited thousands of local pets with their families. LostFoundPets941.com - 941.330.3339 PetData.com - 800.738.3463 U Y