Dexter, pitbull

Dog found under rubble 9 days after Ill. tornado
Associated Press
November 29, 2013


WASHINGTON, Ill. (AP) — A six-month-old pit bull that was buried under a pile of rubble for more than a week after a tornado ripped through a central Illinois city has been coaxed to freedom with hot dogs and reunited with his owner.

Jacob Montgomery, a member of the Illinois National Guard, was separated from the dog, Dexter, when the Nov. 17 tornado destroyed his third-floor apartment in Washington. Montgomery combed through the wreckage multiple times but turned up no sign of Dexter.

Nine days after the storm, a neighbor who was looking for his cat, also missing, with the help of a group called Rescuing Animals in Need sent Montgomery a Facebook message to tell him Dexter had been found partially buried in debris where the apartment building used to stand.

"He said, 'I've got your dog right here,'" Montgomery recalled in a statement released by the Illinois National Guard. "As soon as Dexter saw me, his tail started going."

The pooch was in relatively good shape.

"The vet said he has no real injuries — just a few scrapes and cuts," said Montgomery, who got Dexter as a puppy to keep him company when he moved from Champaign. "He was malnourished, but he's going to be fine."

The Washington tornado was part of a band of heavy storms that brought rain, high winds and a rash of twisters to Illinois, and left seven people dead in its wake.

Montgomery has been a military police officer with the Illinois Army National Guard for more than five years and is trained to respond to emergencies. But he says he's never been the victim of such a disaster.

"All I had in my apartment is gone, but my dog was all I really had to worry about," he said.

Montgomery is staying with a friend in nearby Peoria until he can find a new home.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/dog-found-under-rubble-9-days-ill-tornado-191006023.html

Harley, chocolate lab

HARLEY reunited with his family ... AFTER 5 YEARS!
Humane Society of Central Washington on Facebook
November 19, 2013

You read that right -- 5 years. Harley came to Yakima Humane Society last week -- an amiable, 10-year-old Labrador Retriever / Mix. Neutered, microchipped, well-mannered -- Harley had to belong to someone, right?

Our staff looked up his record, yet the home phone number for the registered owner "Andrea" was no longer valid (TIP: Update your phone numbers on your pets' microchips!!), yet a work phone number led us to a former workplace. We contacted the workplace last week, yet did not receive a callback.

Meanwhile, Harley enamored us all (you know that feeling, right, Pet Advocates?), remain patient & happy throughout our daily rounds, walks, etc. He had come in with a bit of a cough, yet was being treated & doing nicely.

On Saturday, our staff contacted the workplace again -- imploring them to contact Andrea & get back to us.

That afternoon, we received a phone call from Andrea's relative, "I hear you've found a dog?" We explained the situation, that Harley had come to us as a stray & we traced his microchip back to Andrea.

The gentleman stated, "I can't believe it. Harley went missing 2 years ago. We let him out in the backyard for a bit, called him in an hour later, & the gate was open -- Harley was gone. ... For months we went out on every chocolate lab sighting in the County ... We finally gave up." He said he'd call Andrea & she'd be right in on Monday.

Andrea was at the shelter door before we opened. Talking with her further, she stated Harley had been missing 5 years ... FIVE years!! ... & they never knew what happened to him.

Harley & Andrea's 1st meeting in 5 years brought tears of joy to all of our eyes. Harley wasn't quite sure who Andrea was at first, yet warmed up quickly, & they were on their way into the sunset together.

Our staff / volunteer team is still in shock, awe, gratitude & wonder over Harley's reunion with Andrea. Where has Harley been? What adventures, trials, joys has he had? No matter, dogs live in the moment, & this moment is one of the best we've ever experienced!

Lessons to SHARE: MICROCHIP your pets. Keep the contact info UP-TO-DATE. NEVER give up. Together our community is reuniting pets with their families!!!

Blessings to you Harley & Andrea. Many happy years ahead.

Source: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10153542498610014&set=a.10150160300150014.422310.317653620013&type=1&theater

Jasmine, boxer

Lost dog found in Oklahoma had microchip, to be reunited with North Dakota family
Jasmine, an 8-year-old boxer, went missing two months ago from her home in Minot, N.D.
By Matt Patterson
Published: November 19, 2013

Nobody knows how Jasmine ended up in Oklahoma City from her home in North Dakota, but the 8-year-old Boxer will be reunited with her family Tuesday thanks to a microchip and a lot of luck.

Free to Live Animal Sanctuary kennel master Willy Fields gets a kiss from Jasmine, an 8-year-old boxer he found wandering in Logan County. The dog will be reunited with its owners in North Dakota on Tuesday.

Jasmine was found on a Logan County road this month by Free to Live Animal Sanctuary kennel master Willy Fields. When the dog was taken to Sunset Vet Clinic in Edmond to get checked and prepared for adoption, a microchip was found with her owner's information.

Micro chipping has become popular in recent years. The dog owner's information is stored on a chip that is surgically implanted in a dog's skin. Many veterinarian clinics and animal shelters can scan the dogs to see if they have a chip.

Tina Bohn said Jasmine turned up missing from their Minot, N.D., home about two months ago.

“We were very surprised to get the call,” Bohn said. “It wasn't like her to wander off and after this much time had passed we thought we'd never see her again.”

Jasmine will fly to North Dakota on Tuesday. Bohn said she thinks Jasmine was stolen.

“We figured someone probably took her,” Bohn said. “That's the only explanation I have. I don't think she could have made it down there on her own. She had to have had some help.”



Veterinarian Danel Grimmett said Jasmine is in good health despite her ordeal. Grimmett said it is an example of why owners should microchip their dogs. She said her dog was found and reunited with her thanks to a microchip.

Source: http://newsok.com/lost-dog-found-in-oklahoma-had-microchip-to-be-reunited-with-north-dakota-family/article/3906069

Stella, lost during a tornado

The Search for Stella: Storm Victims Reunited With Lost Dog
11/19/2013

PEKIN - Many dogs and cats are still homeless as shattered communities work to rebuild. Now, their owners are turning to social media as a way to find their pets. Thanks to technology, those efforts are paying off.

Sunday aftermath:

Tornado victims Josh Stevens and Margaret Greenhalgh don't have a place to live. Their belongings are gone. But their lives are complete…all because of  Stella.

"It’s been a pretty profound situation since I found her,” said Stevens.

On Sunday, the pair arrived at their Washington apartment complex to a disaster scene.

"The kitchen wall is gone, the roof is tore off,” Stevens described.  “Worst case scenarios were running through my head.”

The young dog was nowhere to be found.

"Everybody’s like, ‘Well, what are you going to do?  We've been wondering where you're going to go.’  I didn't care," said Stevens.  "Nothing mattered because I didn't have her."

“She’s our baby, she’s just so sweet,” said Greenhalgh.

The days passed. Frantic, Stevens turned to social media looking for leads on his long lost pal.

"I posted the picture of her and the caption just said, ‘Lost contact me.’  It just kind of steamrolled,” said Stevens.

A photo, shared nearly 10,000 times.

“It wasn't just Illinois,” said Stevens.  “There were people in Wisconsin, Tennessee, and Louisiana that were hitting me up.  It was wonderful."

Shortly after, Stevens received a call from a local animal clinic. Stella had been located.

 "I wish I could thank whoever found her.  I'm indebted to them."

"Thank you, thank you so much for helping us out,” added Greenhalgh.  “Now it’s happy tears.”

All because of a Facebook post.




The power of communication, that sent Stella back home.

"For those who haven't found their pets yet...don't give up,” said Greenhalgh.

“I wish I could thank everybody one by one,” said Stevens.

Good Deeds:

The couple is now using social media to help other storm victims find their pets.

Source: http://www.centralillinoisproud.com/story/the-search-for-stella-storm-victims-reunited-with-lost-dog/d/story/t2S2KghrTEap2eGkxedT1Q

Mockie, chihuahua mix

Pet and his “pet mom” reunited after 4 years, thanks to microchip

by Pima County News

on Nov. 07, 2013

Wednesday, November 6 was any normal day for Bianca Beltran – until she opened a letter in the mail from Pima Animal Care Center.

“I opened the note and I just screamed and sat on the floor I was so surprised,” said Beltran, who drove immediately over to the shelter at 4000 N. Silverbell Road to pick up Mockie, the dog she had lost four years earlier.

Thanks to a microchip, Bianca was reunited with the family pet she’d had for more than two years until the active little dog escaped from her granddaughter at the park. She searched the shelters for months and always watched for him at the park until finally she gave up. “I always prayed that someone had him and he was being treated well,” she said.

But recently the dog, known as Nido, had been turned in by a woman who had suffered a personal setback and could no longer keep the dog she had gotten from a friend. But when animal care staff scanned the Chihuahua mix for a microchip, they found the chip and reached out to his original owner.

Beltran and volunteers who helped are convinced Mockie remembered her, and when he put his face on her shoulder, everyone cried. Beltran said she’s thrilled at the click-click of little paws on the floor and reports he hasn’t left her side since coming home. Decked out in a new leash, he remembers the rules of the house and has already been out walking, since he needs to lose a little weight.

She said she hopes her story helps share the benefits of microchipping.

“It’s been wonderful and I can still barely believe it,” she said.

Source: http://tucsoncitizen.com/pima-county-news/2013/11/07/pet-and-his-pet-mom-reunited-after-4-years-thanks-to-microchip/