Safeguarding Your Pet From Loss

Written by Jimmy Frost

I can't help it. Between my wife and I if there's any way to lose or misplace something, we'll find that way and lose an item in style! Kimberly (my wife) lost her engagement AND wedding ring. I bought her a replacement wedding ring and then she lost that one. Secretly she conspired with my jeweler, and bought a third wedding ring. However, after she did this, she found the second ring! I thought it was pretty funny but she wasn't amused. I visited the jeweler and asked her about it and had fun watching her try and cover up for Kimberly. Several weeks afterward, the first set of rings turned up, so now my wife has her engagement ring and THREE wedding bands.

Better too many than not enough, I always say.

Keys are my downfall. I could have my keys on a truck tire- rim and still manage to lose them. I'd hate to have to complete a full accounting of how many man-hours I've spent in search of my keys. I'm bad with tools, too. Sears loves people such as me, because they make a fortune on selling me replacement screwdrivers and sockets.

The one thing I did as a pro-active measure, I had Zoey implanted with a "Home Again" microchip as a safeguard against my losing her. Thinking this to be prudent, as she is quite the traveler with me, I wanted to insure that this precious being,will always be able to be located, should she become separated from me.

For those of you who might not know, these microchips are about the size of a grain of rice. They are implanted under the animal's skin and when read, will read off a reference number that can be cross-matched with the pet's owner. The chip cost about $60.00 and the registration fee was only $12.50.

I won't bore you with the multitude of "worst case" scenarios in which Zoey and I could become separated, or someone breaks into my truck, we have an accident, or whatever. I try and keep everything together but life can sometimes travel beyond our control.

If they offered a model with Global Positioning where you could buy a Magellan or some other G.P.S. receiver to "home-in" on the implanted chip, I'd have gotten that one, but the day is probably coming when you will be able to do that. If it does, I can assure you that Zoey will get one of those, too.

Should Zoey and I ever become separated, it is my hope that by having her name and mine with a phone number and the promise of a cash reward on a tag on her collar, would guarantee I'd get her back. If you ever find my pet and returned her, you'd have a pretty nice windfall from a very grateful owner. But collars can be removed, either by accident or on purpose. I wanted to give Zoey every chance to make it home safely. If she was stolen and taken to an animal research place, it's also my hope that I could find the person who took her there and stamp their ticket to the local trauma center for an extended stay pass!

Could you imagine the look of shock and horror someone who steals cats would have if they were to be tracked down with the stolen cat in their possession by the "big, bad, bald-headed, red necked" trucker?

I can't tell you how many dogs and cats I see along the highway who have, or are in danger of meeting their end. I've seen strays at truckstops, and a multitude of other places I visit and wonder how these animals fare in the end. I often wonder if there's an owner looking for the animal, still holding out hope to find their pet or have they given up?

My monthly articles usually regale readers with stories of the people Zoey and I met and our adventures together. However, I wanted to take this moment to urge anyone with a pet to consider having custom I.D. tags made to tell anyone who might find your pet that you want them back and you're going to reward them for their trouble. It's a sad commentary, but in our society, money talks and people usually listen. I'd also encourage you to have your pet implanted with a microchip to increase the odds of your animal finding its way back home and into your loving arms.