For most of us, it's a nightmare come true. Fido or Fluffy somehow escaped the yard/house and won't come when called. We might put posters up, offer rewards, or simply hope that someone will find our pet and return them home safely.
But we didn't microchip our pet, because, you know, the chances of it happening to us? No way! And we've heard that it's expensive. And our pet doesn't have a collar either, because we want our kids to run free, unencumbered by tethers, fences, or leashes.
So what happens? If you're lucky, the police or a good Samaritan will see Fido/Fluffy wandering down the highway and pick them up. If they happen to be found in Detroit Lakes, Frazee, Audubon, Lake Park, Waubun, Mahnomen Callaway, or Becker County, they come to The Marshmallow Foundation, which acts as the city pound for these towns. Scared and alone, they'll spend their first 7-10 days in isolation. You see, we don't know your Fido/Fluffy. We don't know that they are a member of your family. We checked for a microchip and a collar, hoping we could quickly reunite them with their family, but they had neither.
We don't know if Fido/Fluffy has rabies. Every time we feed them, clean their kennel, or try to interact with them, we face the possibility of getting bit. And getting bit means a possible trip to the ER for painful rabies shots.
We put the word out as best we can, and hope that a loving, responsible, owner steps forward to claim Fido/Fluffy. Most often, nobody does, and they become available for adoption. AFTER we invest in rabies shots, worm them, give them flea medications, and sometimes even a spay or neuter if we happen to have extra funds on hand.
But what happens if you do find that Fido/Fluffy has landed at Marshmallow? Whoo hoo! I can go get my baby and bring him/her home, right?
Not necessarily. By law, we must have proof that Fido/Fluffy is up-to-date on their rabies shots. That means a certificate signed by your vet. And depending on what city Fido/Fluffy was found in, there might be a city fine that we have to collect. Finally, we don't board your baby for free - $20 a day barely pays for food, employee salaries, litter, bleach, and 24 hour care.
Now, if you're a responsible pet owner, you'll be happy to pay for the release of your precious family member. And you might just get that microchip implanted.
Last weekend, I had a frantic phone call from someone whose kitty had been found and been brought to Marshmallow more than a week before. This kitty had a collar, but no contact information. This kitty didn't have a microchip, and hadn't been spayed, so she was in heat. She was still in isolation, waiting for an opening at the vet to get her rabies shots, preventative vaccines, and wellness exam.
When her owner came, she said "that's my Fluffy", and immediately opened the kennel door to pick her up. I was glad that Fluffy's owner had arrived, but had to inform her that she couldn't just walk out with Fluffy. First, did she have a rabies vaccination certificate? No - Fluffy hadn't been vaccinated. Okay, so we can't release Fluffy to you until she has her rabies shots, which we will arrange with the local vet as soon as we can get an appointment. Oh, and you also owe the city a fine, plus there's the boarding fee of $20 a day you need to come up with as well.
Faced with a bill over $200, I offered the owner an option to wait until Fluffy was ready for adoption and then put in an application for her. The adoption fee is just over $100, and well, I've already told you the money we've already invested in Fluffy by that point.
Sadly, this owner wasn't able to come up with the funds for either option. She literally threw Fluffy back in the kennel and stormed out.
That microchip doesn't seem so expensive now, does it?
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