Lost
When a dog is stolen, lost, or simply runs away, it is disruptive for everyone.
Bradley Wieferich and his family were broken-hearted when their dog Bambi ran away. The Lansing Michigan residents were astonished by a call they received four years later. The microchip company indicated that Bambi was in Toledo, Ohio. That is over 100 miles from Lansing.
As a result, of the time and distance, it took some convincing to make Bradley believe the call was real.
Found
Bambi was wandering in a Toledo city neighborhood. All on her own, residents there contacted local police. The officer who picked her up thought Bambi was an older dog, not a puppy. He took her to Lucas County Canine Care & Control. As a part of their standard processes, an employee scanned and identified Bambi’s microchip. Consequently, this led to the happy discovery that Bambi had a family.
The community outreach coordinator for the shelter, Laura Simmons-Wark, indicated, “She’s underweight but has a great attitude. Who knows where she’s been all this time? We have no idea how she made it all the way down here.”
The outreach coordinator suggested this is one of the best reasons for people to microchip their pets. Additionally, people who find stray animals should have them checked for a chip. It is easy to scan a chip, and in turn, locate the owners. Stray dogs or other animals can be simply lost, rather than homeless.
A week later, Bambi was reunited with the Wieferich family. Bradley said he didn’t see her as he walked past cages in the shelter. Then something about the markings on her muzzle caught his attention. The determining factor was when he was greeted by a familiar howl.
“She was ready to come home,” Brad told reporters.
Family History
When Bambi was 7 or 8 months old, the Wieferich family adopted her. She bonded with the family’s golden retriever. When that dog died of cancer, Bambi began escaping. They had located and brought her home more than once.
Recognizing Bambi was missing her buddy, the Wieferich bought another dog as a companion. Six months later, Bambi ran away again. The family searched far and wide but to no avail. They decided she was adopted by another family or died.
Home Again
The Wieferich family indicated Bambi settled in nicely. After four years, they were amazed that she was back and showed off by knowing some of her old tricks.
A standard process and a simple microchip reunited this family. Don’t you love happy endings!