He vanished in minutes and was never seen alive…
- 600milliondogs.org
- Jul 1
- 3 min read
Imagine your dog goes missing during the 4th of July fireworks and never comes home.
Every July, thousands of families go through that nightmare.
Lost Pet Prevention Month is your reminder to act before it's too late.
A dog named Diesel ran off during a veterinary clinic visit in Alabama.
His collar came off during a break, and he did not have a microchip.
The family’s frantic search, even with professional trackers, ended in heartbreak when he was found deceased a few hours later.
Compare the tragedy of Diesel against the success story of Diva.
Diva, who was in Colorado, wandered away and ended up 1200 miles away in Indiana
Thanks to her microchip, the shelter staff connected with her family, and she was home within 48 hours of being scanned.
She had been lost for two months.
These stories remind us that a collar helps, but is not enough.
Here are 4 ways to make sure your dog stays safe:
1. Microchips
A microchip is a tiny device the size of a grain of rice that goes just under your dog’s skin, usually between the shoulders, and holds your contact information.
When a veterinarian or shelter scans the chip, your name and phone number pop up, but only if the info is registered and updated.
One study from the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association found that dogs with microchips were more than twice as likely to be returned home.
2. ID Tags
Collars and tags are often the first thing someone looks for if they find a lost companion animal.
In one shelter survey, one in four tags couldn’t be used.
They were either too worn to read or had disconnected phone numbers.
Silicone tags are tougher.
They don’t fade as fast and are quieter when your dog walks. These tags also stay readable 98% of the time, compared to just 54% for metal ones.
For extra safety, it helps to add a tag that says your companion animal is microchipped.
That way, if someone finds them and sees the tag, they’ll know to get them scanned.
3. GPS Tracking Devices
Over 10 million companion animals go missing every year in the U.S.
Most are found locally, but only if someone happens to spot them.
GPS trackers take out the guesswork.
These small devices are attached to your dog’s collar and they let you follow their location in real time.
Over 80% of GPS users recover their dogs within hours of them going missing.
Trackers work best when combined with a tag and microchip.
The GPS helps you find your dog right away, while the tag and chip make sure they can still get home if the tracker fails or gets lost.
4. DNA Identification
A DNA test for your companion animal creates a unique genetic profile that proves who they are, even if every tag and chip is gone.
This isn’t common yet, but it has saved lives.
In California, a woman was reunited with her dog three months after a wildfire thanks to a DNA sample her veterinarian had stored.
It’s not meant to replace tags or chips, but it’s a great backup, especially if you live in a disaster-prone area.
When companion animals go missing and aren’t found, they become strays and are forced to survive on brutal streets without shelter, food, or protection.
They join the world’s 600 million stray dogs and 87 million stray cats who reproduce each year and give birth to over 1 billion homeless puppies and kittens — and those who survive also reproduce — and the cycle of suffering repeats.
That’s why we’re developing a one-time birth control Cookie — to safely and permanently spay or neuter a stray dog or cat, without surgery.
With your help, we will end this suffering.
Thank you very much for helping and for caring.
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