Missing dog found after 9 years

July 30, 1:18 PMHouston Dogs ExaminerBobbi Leder

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If this story doesn’t encourage you to microchip your dog, nothing will. Muffy, a mixed breed in Australia, was found in Melbourne nine years after she went missing thanks to her microchip. Muffy disappeared in 2000 while staying with family friends, and her owners, The Lampard family, just assumed she ran away. According to The Times newspaper, a tip received by the RSPCA about a sickly dog was what prompted animal control officers to look for her.

The Times reported that they found Muffy in decrepit surroundings in a suburban backyard. Victorian RSPCA inspector, Gail Coulter had this to say, “We found her living in pretty awful conditions on a piece of cardboard; she had matted hair and was riddled with fleas and had a really severe dermatitis condition.”

So the RSPCA took Muffy to see a vet where it was discovered that she had a microchip. A microchip allows dogs to be traced and when they traced Muffy’s microchip, they found out that her owners lived in Queensland – 1,250 miles away!

Muffy’s owner, Natalie Lampard, told The Times that she was stunned when the RSPCA called her. “I just couldn’t believe it, it’s absolutely amazing.”  No one knows what travels and adventures Muffy experienced over the years while going across three states, but she’s sure to be one happy dog to finally get back home.

So you see, microchipping your dog is essential. According to the Humane Society, there are over 4.3 million dogs that enter animal shelters, and some of those dogs have owners, but without identification, the shelter has no way of knowing that. Tags with the owners name and cell phone number are a great start but tags can fall off - that's where microchipping comes in. It's a small chip with a number that is injected into your dog between his shoulder; you then have to register that number to your dog and provide your contact details. So when a shelter scans a dog with a microchip, they can then trace the dog back to his owner.

If you move or change your number, remember to contact the registry so they have the most up-to-date contact information. To learn more about microchipping your dog, contact your dog's veterinarian or visit the Humane Society by clicking here.