Saber, a German shepherd

Ok, so why doesn't every state have this procedure?

Lost dog reunited with family after new alert system put in place
Program named for Pembroke pooch, first dog returned home

By Kristen Walsh, The Patriot Ledger
Oct 26, 2007

KINGSTON — Last week, Saber was just an ordinary German Shepherd. This week, he has a statewide emergency program named after him.

Saber, who is owned by Rick and Mary Hollstein of Pembroke, was the first dog to be returned home using a new system that finds the owners of missing or lost dogs.

The Animal Control Officers Association of Massachusetts recently implemented the program, now known as the Saber Alert, which is similar to the missing child Amber Alert program.

Saber was found Tuesday on the Kingston-Pembroke line. The person who found him took him to a veterinarian in Weymouth, who called Deni Michele Goldman, Hull’s animal control officer, for help.

Four minutes later, Goldman issued a statewide emergency broadcast alert, sending a message to more than 200 animal control officers, members of the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and various humane societies and veterinarians.

Soon after the alert was sent out, Goldman received a call from the Whitman Animal Control officer, who said the Hollsteins had reported their German shepherd missing.

The owner was thrilled with the system, according to Goldman, and happy to be reunited with Saber.

Members of the Animal Control Officers Association of Massachusetts said the new system will allow them to return dogs to their families when the pets are found without identification tags or personalized microchips, small tracking devices implanted under a dog’s skin.

Goldman, who is also the director of public relations and communications for the Animal Control Officers Association of Massachusetts, said dogs can move from one location to another quickly once they are lost.

“Most people, if they find a dog, will notify their own town’s animal control officer, but not in other areas,” she said. “This will allow us to quickly communicate with one another.”

Saber, who had never run away before, had no microchip and no collar when he wandered from his backyard.

Goldman said while microchips are an optional service for dog owners, she encourages them to get one whenever possible for easier tracking.

Source: http://www.enterprisenews.com/archive/x1958154726
Printer-friendly version here