Susan Arts, Pethealth Inc
06/03/11
OAKVILLE, ONTARIO -- While most Americans spent last Sunday celebrating the Memorial Day long weekend, thanks to online pet portal Petango.com, one family was engaged in a very different kind of celebration-an emotional reunion with their family pet Daphne, a handsome Pit Bull mix who went missing following the tornado in Joplin, Missouri.
"We looked for her for a whole week," says Whitney Williams of Joplin, MO. "We went to the Joplin Humane Society every day so I wasn't really looking on Petango but then on Sunday I got the feeling I should try, and there she was."
Although the majority of displaced pets brought to the shelter remain in the care of the Joplin Humane Society, Daphne was brought in by a concerned citizen who chose to keep the distraught dog with her rather than leave her in a kennel.
Daphne's information and picture were uploaded onto Petango.com, and the dog went home with her rescuer. Although Petango.com typically features adoptable pets, via its live feed from animal management software PetPoint, it is uniquely able to create lost pet pages, such as the listing created for lost pets following the Tuscaloosa tornadoes.
In this case, Petango.com developed a page specifically for displaced pets in the care of Joplin Humane Society to improve the chances for successful reunification with pet owners.
"I knew it was her in the picture," says Williams. "But when I went to the Joplin Humane Society warehouse she wasn't there, so one of the staff took her ID number from the Petango profile and looked her up in the system. It came back saying she was in foster."
Once back at the shelter, Daphne bolted from the vehicle into the outstretched arms of her waiting family.
"Seeing Daphne reunited with her family was wonderful," says Jorge Ortega, Emergency Responder and Regional Director, Shelter Outreach at Pethealth Inc., who assisted Williams when looking for her dog.
"We've been working nonstop for days so it was a great feeling to realize all that hard work is really paying off and we can make a difference for people and their pets."
In addition to assisting the search, Ortega has offered to supply Daphne with a 24Petwatch microchip to protect her against future loss. As part of a coordinated effort to reduce strays, pets adopted from organizations using PetPoint and Petango are automatically microchipped through the 24Petwatch microchip program. Once registered, the contact information associated with the unique microchip ID is used to notify the owner if the pet becomes lost and is found.
"Get your dog microchipped and never give up looking," says Williams. "We didn't give up and now we are so happy to have her back."
For a family that lost everything in the tornado, Daphne's return has provided a measure of comfort and closure as they prepare to move back to Chicago where friends and relatives can help them start anew.
About Petango.com, ThePetangoStore.com and 24Petwatch Microchip ID
- Petango.com is the only adoptable search site that exclusively uses live animal data feeds from over 1,650 animal welfare organizations and offers a wide range of content-rich options for potential adopters, shelters and anyone who wants to learn more about pet adoption. It is the one-stop destination for anyone looking to adopt a pet from an animal welfare organization and participate in an interactive, social networking pet lovers' community in North America. It is also the exclusive provider of Petango Petmatch™ through which potential adopters can search for pets that match their personality based on lifestyle and preferences.
- ThePetangoStore.com is the place to shop for pets and help save homeless pets with a percentage of every purchase donated back to the animal shelter of the shopper's choice. ThePetangoStore.com offers a full range of discounted pet medications and pet supplies, including brand names such as Frontline, Advantage, Heartgard and K9 Advantix.
- 24Petwatch has been dedicated to the safety of cats and dogs since 2003. With a comprehensive line of exclusive products and services designed to enhance and protect the lives of companion animals, 24Petwatch gives pet owners and their pets access to health, happiness and peace of mind. If a lost pet is found with a collar tag, call 24Petwatch at 1-866-597-2424 immediately. A 24Petwatch lost pet recovery specialist will report the pet as found and contact the owner so they can be reunited with their pet. If there is no collar tag or if the tag is unreadable or scratched, found pets should be taken to the nearest animal shelter or veterinary clinic so the pet can be scanned for the presence of a microchip. For more information about 24Petwatch Microchip ID and 24Petwatch Insurance programs, visit http://www.24petwatch.com/.
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