Two dogs - a black and silver Shih Tzu and a white and cream Beagle-mix - were rescued by an Animal Control Officer last week after U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested a woman on suspicion of human smuggling on Interstate 8 in the Campo area.
Once animals are brought to any County shelter, they are scanned for a microchip. In this case, one was detected on the Shih Tzu. Animal Services staff was able to track the microchip and the dog’s owner. The owner, Patricia Regalado, was contacted and told that her dog was safe and in the care of the County Department of Animal Services. Regalado told the staff that her Shih Tzu, “Baby Vel,” had been stolen from her property in Whittier a year ago and that she was very excited to know her pet was safe and would soon be coming home.
“Having your animal microchipped ensures that your pet has a ticket home,” said Animal Services Director Dawn Danielson.“Animal Services strongly encourages all pet owners to have their pets microchipped as a form of positive identification.
“It’s important for people to know that if they find a stray dog or cat, they should bring it to the animal shelter because there is always a possibility the animal has been microchipped and that we can reunite it with its owner. It’s also a requirement of the law to bring in stray pets.”
For more information regarding microchips, visit at www.sddac.com.