Microchips Reunite Lost Pets

by Diane Blankenburg

Sylvia, a silver tabby, had been adopted from NHS seven years ago by a wonderful couple. Earlier this year, Sylvia went missing for several months before turning up at the Animal Services shelter. She was very sick and emaciated, but had a microchip that identified who had adopted her. Thanks to the NHS clinic staff, she is now fully recovered and thanks to a tiny microchip, she has been reunited with her loving family.

Flash, a young black cat, has lived a very tough life. A year ago, he was surrendered to NHS because his people were unable to pay for his vet care after he was shocked and burned chewing an electrical cord. He was treated for third-degree burns and reconstructive surgery was performed to repair his damaged mouth. Flash’s curiosity somehow got the better of him once again and he ended up escaping from his foster home and was recently found in southern California. Thanks to his microchip, we were notified and he is now back in the protective hands of NHS and ready for adoption into a permanent home—he promises to curb his curiosity this time!

Collars and tags are great, but they’re not perfect. Collars can come off or be taken off; some pets just can’t wear them with comfort. Tags can fall off, wear out, and be hard to read. Microchips are the best way to identify your pets, provided you register them. The chips are permanent and provide absolute proof of ownership.

A microchip is a tiny capsule (about the size of a grain of rice) containing a permanent ID code that emits a signal on a specific radio frequency, enabling a scanner to read the code. This information is then matched with owner identification data that is kept on file after registration. The chip is inserted between the pet’s shoulder blades and the process is quick, sterile, and no more painful than a routine vaccination.

At NHS, we microchip all of our dogs and cats before adoption. Because of this, Sylvia is now back home with her loving family and Flash is safe and sound at our shelter until we can find him the perfect new home.

The best protection you can give your pet is to have them microchipped as soon as possible. Or adopt your next furry friend from Nevada Humane Society or other local animal shelters where every cat and dog is microchipped, helping to ensure they get back home to your loving arms.

Note: Contact Nevada Humane Society’s free Animal Help Desk for information on low-cost microchipping services (animalhelp@nevadahumanesociety.org or 775-856-2000 ext. 200).

Events that Help Homeless Pets

Adopt a Certified Pre-Owned Pet at Nevada Humane Society. 100,000 purr or tail-wag warranty, standard 4-paw drive. Great low adoption fees! Open for adoption 7 days a week at 2825 Longley Lane, Reno, 11 am to 6:30 pm, 10 am on Saturdays. For more info, call 775-856-2000.

Yard Sale to Benefit Homeless Pets at Nevada Humane Society on Saturday, October 6, from 8am to 1pm. 2825 Longley Lane, between Rock Blvd. and Mira Loma Drive.

Purses for Pets & Kitty Glitter on October 14, 1:00 – 4:00 pm, at the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa. This auction fundraiser will benefit Pet Network Humane Society. Purse donations are being accepted at locations throughout the area including the NHS shelter. For more info, call 775-832-4404 or email info@petnetwork.org.

Washoe County is a Model Community

Last week, I was in beautiful Maui and even though I did some vacationing, my main purpose for the trip was related to my work at Nevada Humane Society. I spoke at Hawaii’s first no-kill conference where 100 people were in attendance, representing the various Hawaiian islands.

The conference was organized by 9^th Life Hawaii, a large no-kill cat rescue and sanctuary in Maui. Their lead had seen Nathan Winograd, No Kill Advocacy Director, speak at a conference on the mainland and believed that Maui and sister islands would benefit from understanding how some other communities had obtained such great results in creating safety nets for their communities’ homeless pets.

The conference was kicked off by Nathan then followed up with Ryan Clinton of No Kill Austin and me, representing Nevada Humane Society. Ryan and I were there to share our stories on how we created our respective no kill communities. The reception we received was unbelievable and I felt truly honored to be a part of the event.

We don’t always realize that homeless pets are an issue all over our country, even in places that we call paradise. And many of you may not realize that our community has become such a model that we are regularly asked to speak at conferences and provide guidance to other organizations. It’s so exciting to be a part of this very compassionate community and to be a part of the action in making it one of the safest in the county for homeless pets. It’s also an amazing feeling to know that what we all do here not only saves almost 10,000 lives each year, but is influencing and challenging other communities to do the same.

I will soon be heading to Cincinnati where I will be speaking at the Great Shelters 2012 Conference. The mission of Great Shelters is “to empower communities to assist/insist in the changes and improvements necessary to bring every community to No-Kill Status.” Know that your compassion for animals is helping accomplish this mission and as I continue to speak on behalf of the animals, I will continue to give credit to our amazing community that is leading the way.

Events that Help Homeless Pets

Adopt a Certified Pre-Owned Pet at Nevada Humane Society. 100,000 purr or tail-wag warranty, standard 4-paw drive. Great low adoption fees! Open for adoption 7 days a week at 2825 Longley Lane, Reno, 11 am to 6:30 pm, 10 am on Saturdays. For more info, call 775-856-2000.

Purses for Pets & Kitty Glitter on October 14, 1:00 – 4:00 pm, at the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa. This auction fundraiser will benefit Pet Network Humane Society. Purse donations are being accepted at locations throughout the area including the NHS shelter. For more info, call 775-832-4404 or email info@petnetwork.org.

Air Travel with Your Pet

Pets are important to so many people in our community. I was not surprised when Krys Bart, CEO of Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority, remarked that they are “welcoming increasing numbers of four-legged, furry passengers” at the airport. Her staff was kind enough to share some advice about airline travel with your pet.

Their first tip: check with your airline as regulations differ. Most limit the number of pets in the cabin for each flight, so book pet reservations early. Temperature restrictions may apply for pets traveling in the cargo compartment and some airlines will not allow snub-nosed breeds (such as pugs or Persians) to fly in cargo.

The airline will likely require a health certificate issued within 10 days of travel or proof of vaccinations. Traveling oversees or to Hawaii requires additional preparation. The USDA provides valuable advice online at http://awic.nal.usda.gov/find-airline-pet-policies.

Your pet will need a suitable carrier. For travel in the cabin, it must fit under the seat (and counts as a carry-on bag). Write your name and cell phone number on the carrier and be sure your pet is wearing an identification tag. Add a towel or blanket to provide comfort during the trip.

Pets are subject to security screening. TSA staffers will visually screen your pet rather than put them through the x-ray machine. If you have a cat, request that your pet only be removed from the carrier in a secure room. (I know two people who have had cats bolt when the carrier was opened for screening.)

One of the most common questions people ask is about sedating their pet for the flight. The American Veterinary Medical Association advises against sedation, because it can affect the animal’s sense of balance and equilibrium.

We are blessed with some special pet-friendly features at Reno-Tahoe International Airport.

Their Gate K-9 Bark Parks are fully fenced and offer fresh water, clean up bags, and even a fire hydrant. One park is located north of baggage claim; the other is on the south side of the ticket counters. The airport also provides a unique climate-controlled pet holding area where pets can wait in comfort prior to being loaded into the cargo compartment.

“We work closely with the airlines and TSA to provide a safe and pleasant journey for your pet, said Bart. “Pets are part of our families, too.” 

Events that Help Homeless Pets

Adopt a Certified Pre-Owned Pet at Nevada Humane Society. 100,000 purr or tail-wag warranty, standard 4-paw drive. Great low adoption fees! Open for adoption 7 days a week at 2825 Longley Lane, Reno, 11 am to 6:30 pm, 10 am on Saturdays. For more info, call 775-856-2000.

Purses for Pets & Kitty Glitter October 14, 1:00 – 4:00 pm, at the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa. Benefits Pet Network Humane Society. Purse donations are being accepted at locations throughout the area including Nevada Humane Society. For more info, call 775-832-4404 or email info@petnetwork.org.