Athena, shih tzu

Microchip Reunites a Boy and His Dog
Jennifer Wadsworth
March 11, 2011

Sixteen-year-old Jake Johnson's dog was missing for 19 months before the East Bay SPCA helped bring her home.

Technology and luck helped reunite a boy and his dog.

For 19 months, Athena, a young Shi Tzu, was missing. Jake Johnson, her 16-year-old owner, had given up hope of ever finding her. His best guess was that Athena escaped through a hole in the backyard fence after the family returned from vacation in August 2009.

The loss especially devastated the Hayward teen because his autism made it tough to form bonds with animals. With Athena it was different.

“We postered, flyered, visited every veterinary clinic, animal shelter, and groomer in the East Bay,” said Carol Johnson, Jake's mom. “Every day for over a year and a half, I took a second look at every Shih Tzu with Athena’s coloring that I saw on the street, in the grocery store — everywhere."

Eventually, Jake forced himself to let it go.

Fast-forward to January this year: In the far-flung East Bay suburb of Brentwood, two women were taking a walk near an empty field when they stumbled upon a hungry, worn-out but friendly Shih Tzu.

Ellen Romero took the dog back home on Jan. 25. Just this month, the Brentwood resident brought her newfound companion to the East Bay SPCA's clinic in Dublin to be spayed and microchipped.

Veterinarian Katherine Mills' scanner found that the dog already had a microchip. Mills matched the information to the Johnsons missing dog report filed in 2009.

Mills connected the Johnsons with the Romeros. The reunion was an emotional one.

“My first response was shock," said Carol Johnsons. "I quickly went to thinking of this other family, who would lose the dog that they had recently adopted. When I approached Athena at the Spay and Neuter Center and said her name, she started kissing my face. We were so grateful to have Athena back. ”

The East Bay SPCA's Executive Director, Allison Linquist, said Athena's story is a perfect example of how microchipping keeps people and animals together.

“We provide this for every animal that is adopted out of our shelters," she said. "It’s a painless, easy procedure that is so important to our local animal communities.”

Source: http://sanramon.patch.com/articles/microchip-reunites-a-boy-and-his-dog