BeBe, small black dog

Stolen dog reunited with family
By Rebecca Opie
Feb. 19, 2013

After going missing more than two years ago, little BeBe has been reunited with her family, thanks to her microchip.

BeBe was adopted from the RSPCA in 2011 and as part of their adoption program, she was desexed and microchipped.

She soon became a member of the family and travelled everywhere with them.

However, on a trip to Whyalla in 2011, she disappeared.

BeBe's owners Marrianne and Scott looked everywhere for her and left her details at the Whyalla City Council, RSPCA and vets but she was never found.

BeBe's owner Marianne said she had a red harness on and a medallion with their phone number, but she disappeared without a trace.

"We looked for her for about three months from her disappearance," she said.

"It was devastating for our children Missie and Hadassah."

Then last week, BeBe was found wandering the streets of Whyalla and was taken to the Whyalla Veterinary Clinic on McDouall Stuart Avenue where she was scanned for a microchip.

From the microchip number, her owner's details were retrieved and Marrianne and Scott were told that BeBe had been found.

Dr Melville-Smith said that BeBe was clearly marked with tattoos that showed she was desexed and microchipped, so it would have been obvious to whoever had taken Bebe, that she had an owner.

"Had the people who had taken BeBe made any enquiries, BeBe would have been reunited with her family much sooner," Dr Melville-Smith said

"Some people have no scruples about taking another person's dog and are oblivious to the trauma and heartache they cause in the process."

Marrianne said she was so happy when she learned of BeBe's recovery.

"I was against microchips before this," she said

"I felt it was weird having an electronic chip implanted in an animal."

Marrianne said she can now see how a microchip helps people get their lost pets back.

Dr Melville-Smith said they get excellent recovery rates for lost dogs and cats that have a microchip implanted and that is was an essential part of pet ownership.

"A microchip gives the best chance of your pets safe return if it becomes separated from you," he said.

"Unfortunately we often hear of lost pets where their owners were "gonna fit a microchip" and didn't.

"The advice is, fit a microchip to your pet today ... gonna doesn't get your pet returned."

Source: http://www.whyallanewsonline.com.au/story/1308790/stolen-dog-reunited-with-family/?cs=1550