After missing for almost six years, a lost dog has finally been reunited with his family thanks to having an updated microchip. Spanky went missing one day out of his yard in Bradenton. His family always believed he was taken from their yard, and after trying unsuccessfully to find him, they moved on with their lives and eventually got another dog which they also named Spanky. But on June 8, local nonprofit organization Lost Pet Services, Inc. received a report of a found dog. The team sent out a volunteer with a microchip scanner to see if they could identify him. Thankfully, Spanky had a chip that still had updated owner information inscribed. 

When President of Lost Pet Services, Patty Giarrusso, contacted Spanky's owner, Victoria, shock was an understatement. She immediately made arrangements to pick him up from Heather, the good Samaritan who found him wandering in the street. “Tears of joy and happy kisses were all around when Spanky and Victoria were reunited,” the nonprofit reported. 

Each year thousands more pets go missing in the area. Lost Pet Services has helped over 10,000 of them find their way home throughout Sarasota and Manatee Counties—operating mostly on Facebook as Lost and Found Pets 941 and through systematic, free pet recovery services and medical funding. The organization also promotes responsible pet ownership through educational resources to keep beloved family pets out of the area’s overcrowded shelters. With June being National Microchipping Month, this reunion is a noteworthy example of the importance of having a pet microchipped and keeping that microchip information updated. Lost Pet Services urges the community to invest in microchips, collars with legible ID tags, or license tags, as they are the best way to ensure your pet makes it home safe if they ever get lost.

Learn more at Lost Found Pets 941