One of the biggest nightmares for any pet owner is losing their beloved dog.
COLUMBIA, S.C. — “Statistically, when a pet goes missing, it’s usually within a two-mile radius,” said Victoria Lyles, manager of City of Columbia Animal Services.
“Microchipping is a tool we often use in cases like this,” Lyles said, “We’ve had people from out of state call us and say they’ve lost their pets for years and now they’re here. It’s a really heartwarming story.”
Make sure your contact information is up to date with the microchip company, and you can also take other measures, such as posting about your missing pet on social media.
“Nextdoor is a local app. There’s a lot of information shared on Nextdoor. Facebook has a lost and found platform that’s really useful,” Riles says.
It is also effective to post flyers about lost pets.
“At least two photos [of your pet]”On each side, write the date the pet went missing and the pet’s name,” Lyles said. “It’s really good to know the name because sometimes when a citizen thinks they’ve found their pet, they can call out the name and it will get the pet’s attention and they’ll come over.”
Finally, Lyles encourages all pet owners to make sure their pets wear a collar with an ID tag at all times, secure the yard and keep pets on a leash when outside.
If you haven’t microchipped your pet yet, you’re in luck! Columbia Animal Services is offering free microchipping services this month.
