Sparkle
On February 11, we met Sparkle, a beautiful, young black lab mix. She was outside on a leash tied to the porch playing with her little girl when volunteers drove by. The adorable sight of the child with her dog motivated the volunteers to introduce themselves to the family and see if they were interested in GPG’s services.
The family had found the dog just three days prior. The child’s mom did everything she could to find the owners, including posting on Facebook and asking around the neighborhood. She had planned to take Sparkle to the Humane Society, but after just three days with her little girl, she couldn’t tear them apart. Sparkle was part of the family. We shared information about our Spay/Neuter Program, where Sparkle could get fixed, vaccinated, and get a microchip for free. A few weeks later, Sparkle was transported to her spay appointment, and returned to her family that same night.
Fast forward several weeks, and volunteer Sara Cordevant got a call from a friend about a stray dog in her neighborhood. She picked up the dog, took pictures and shared with our Community Outreach Team, and volunteers instantly recognized Sparkle. But she was a long ways from home, and we couldn’t be sure, so the next day we scanned her for a microchip. It WAS Sparkle! We immediately called her owners, and they were so excited to get her back!
Sparkle’s new collar and ID tag
Later that day, Sara returned Sparkle to her owners. But not empty handed. Sparkle got her own collar, ID tag and tie-out to make sure she stays safe at home! Her little girl was SO excited to see Sparkle, all thanks to a tiny microchip!
Microchips are so important. If a pet is lost, and the finder takes her to a vet clinic or animal shelter, she can be scanned for a microchip to reveal a unique ID number. That number will be called into the pet recovery service, who contacts the owner using information on file.
We are so thankful to be able to offer microchips to community pets in the Metro East. But we can only do so as funds are available. By donating today, you can help a community pet get microchipped, and potentially save a lost dog’s life! Learn more about our Community Outreach Program and donate today at http://www.gatewaypets.com/community-programs/.
Sparkle and her girl