Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Stephen, bassett hound

Lost dog microchipped in Japan reunited with owner
Janet Rose Jackman, TucsonSentinel.com
Updated Apr 3, 2012, 10:09 am

A 4-year-old Beagle found last week with a microchip registered in Japan has been reunited with his owner.

Joseph Stremlau was reunited with his 4-year-old beagle, Stephen, on Monday. Stremlau got the dog while stationed at an air base in Japan.

Joseph Stremlau, of Phoenix, arrived at the Humane Society of Southern Arizona on Monday afternoon to claim the companion he got in Japan while stationed at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, said HSSA spokeswoman Lyndsay Bruno.

Stephen was taken to HSSA's shelter last week by someone who found him wandering near Speedway and Dodge.

A scan of Stephen's microchip revealed it was implanted at the Okinawa Veterinary Treatment Facility in Okinawa, Japan. The most recent information in the chip showed it was registered to Stremlau at the base in 2010, Bruno said.

HSSA staff had searched the Internet and contacted Davis Monthan Air Force Base, but had had no luck finding Stremlau, Bruno said Friday.

Stremlau was found after the dog's story was reported by local media, Bruno said Monday.

“When friends and family said they saw him on the news, I couldn’t believe it. I went to great lengths to bring him back from Japan, many people don’t do that," the National Guardsman and ASU student said in a press release.

Stephen wandered off while staying with the Stremlau's brother when he was on vacation.

"It's a good lesson about keeping microchip information up to date," Bruno said.

Stephen had surgery early Monday to replace an old surgical pin in his hind leg and is doing well, she said.

Now that they're together again, Stremlau said he and Stephen were going to relax.

"I think we will go home and watch Netflix all day," he said.

Source: http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/040312_hssa_dog_japan/lost-dog-microchipped-japan-reunited-with-owner/

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