A recent case of a runaway Jack Russell Terrier serves as a timely reminder for residents in the City of Playford to prioritize pet microchipping and registration before the August 31 deadline.
Tracey Delany, visiting Playford from Jamestown in South Australia’s mid-north, experienced firsthand the significance of dog registration when her traveling companion, Millie, went missing in Blakeview.
“I was staying with my sister and knew it was strange for Millie not to greet me. After looking around, we noticed a hole under the fence,” Tracey recalled.
Millie had escaped and was spotted narrowly avoiding traffic as she crossed Main North Road. Reports of Millie’s sightings were filed with the Council, and she was found three days later behind a commercial property in Smithfield.
Council community inspector Cheryl Doudle credited Millie’s quick reunion with her owner to her registration and microchipping.
“We were able to identify Millie’s owner in minutes and return her to Tracey’s sister’s home that same day,” Cheryl explained. “With Millie’s home being a two-hour drive away from Playford, it would have been almost impossible to locate her owners without that information.”
Over the past year, the City of Playford received 1,088 calls about wandering dogs and collected 628 strays. Inspector Cheryl urges local pet owners to ensure their pets are registered and microchipped.
“An unregistered and unmicrochipped pet can go months without finding their original owner. Many end up with groups like the Animal Welfare League, adding unnecessary pressure on the system,” Cheryl said.
Tracey emphasized that pet registration is a crucial aspect of responsible pet ownership.
“When Millie went missing, it was heart-breaking. After hearing she crossed a busy highway, you imagine the worst. Knowing Millie had updated contact information gave us hope,” Tracey shared. “Those three days were long – I can’t imagine how much worse it could have been.”
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