By E. Adrian Foster & Michelle Rivera
April 23 is Lost Dog Awareness Day where we bring attention to all lost dogs each year and celebrate the thousands of dogs that have been successfully reunited with their families.
Ambassador Pit Bull Alliance is offering a Donate, Scan, Chip incentive to encourage dog owners to microchip their pets. Come out to our events Saturday April 23, 2016 at Pet Valu Springfield, VA from 12-3pm & Sunday April 24, 2016 at Pet Valu Chantilly, VA from 12-3pm and make a donation, get your dog scanned for a microchip, or get your dog microchipped and you’ll receive a free gift for being an awesome and responsible dog owner! It’s also National Pet Adoption Week and Pet Appreciation Month so please stop by Pet Valu Chantilly, VA anytime this month and buy a bandanna to help support our work.
Now back to losing dogs…
It’s a sensitive subject that is the “worst case scenario” and people just “don’t even want to think about it” but it’s important to ensure your pet is prepared for the day they get lost. No matter how careful we are, doors are left ajar while bringing in groceries, lawn gates unlock during a windy storm, and that jerk squirrel that’s been taunting your dog all spring seemed worth wiggling out of the leash and collar to go catch.
The facts:
- 1 in 3 pets go missing and without proper ID and unfortunately, 90% don’t come home.
- Virtually all shelters and veterinarians are equipped to instantly read your pet’s microchip ID which contains your contact info.
- Microchip company Home Again has reunited over 600,000 pets with their owners.
So dog poop happens, how can you prepare?
- Keep a collar on your dog at all times with up-to-date contact tags.
- Microchip your dog and keep the registered contact information up-to-date.
- Be sure to have an recent full body photo of your dog for “lost dog” signs.
OK so now the worst has happened and your dog is lost, what do you do?
- Post on local “lost dogs” social media pages, most shelters will repost personal lost dog postings.
- Maintain a base where you lost your pet, keep your scent in the area strong!
It’s important to remember that not all stray dogs 
are feral, some can be missing dogs unsure of how to get home. If you find a dog who looks lost, contact your local humane society or animal control officer. Share the dog’s photo and description on social media which has been an extremely effective tool in reuniting dogs with their families.
Ambassador Pit Bull Alliance will repost any “missing/lost dog” posts from the Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia areas so “like” our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter and Instagram. APBA also microchips pit bulls for free and other dog breeds for a $15 donation (Virginia microchipping average cost is $30).
Please email michelle@ambassadorpitbulls.org if you have any questions about microchipping.
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