The microchip did its job.

[Stinky The Clown]

Last night we were out walking our three. A neighbor drove by in his car. I greeted him with a wisecrack. He wasn't joking. One of their two had somehow gotten out of the fence and was missing. He's a beautiful little guy, new to them, and recently not well.

Our walk turned into a search.

When we got home, Sparky sent out an email APB to the community. I took the two big ones and walked the two streams in the neighborhood, hoping they might alert if they saw him in the same way they alert on squirrels, other dogs, and deer.

Nada.

I got home again and decided to go out in the car and cruise a little farther afield. In the process I ran into a lot of others driving and walking, everyone whistling and calling the dog's name. Every person I stopped to ask if they'd seen him said they'd already been asked and were on the look-out.

Half an hour later and still Nada.

Then it got dark.

Then their phone rang. It was the county's animal control. They had him and he was anxious to get home.

He was found about four miles away, trotting along a busy county road and almost being hit by cars. A Good Samaritan, according to the AC guy, had actually stopped traffic and managed to grab his 17 lb self and scoop him up. This happened right in front of a vet's office. The guy carried the dog to the vet, who was closed, but people were still there. They took him in and called AC, who got him, checked him for a microchip, and called our neighbors.

The Good Samaritan never gave anyone his name.

All this was less than two hours.

We never really thought about microchips before, but now are likely to get our three done.

Our neighbors say they are going to make a donation to a Bedlington rescue in the name of Anonymous Hero.

[elleng]

1. Was it a BEDLINGTON that was lost???

OMG!

Looks like our Toni, who took a hike once, worst day in our lives.



VERY glad neighborhood-watch worked.

[Sparkly]

2. Yes!

My "APB" said something like, "grey curly fur, looks like a very small lamb"....

I think it was one of the worst days in our neighbors' lives, too! The little guy went so far, so fast, the neighborhood search didn't find him... It was really the kindness of a stranger (and the power of a microchip!).

I think our little Shih-Tzu, who runs off totally in love with anyone at all, needs a microchip!

Glad Toni's "Excellent Adventure" ended up at home again!

[elleng]

3. THANK GOODNESS he was found!

They are FAST!

Toni had to have crossed busy 16th Street in upper NorthWest DC, went into the park where she was found, huddling among trees, by a stranger, so your neighborhood Bedlington did similar, probably MORE risky, adventure. Those TERRIERS!!!

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. The two conures are chipped.

Yup, even birds can get them. So was our 'tiel

[meti57b]

5. Good news! .... I'm so glad!!!

[spooky3]

6. Great story - and good on you and your neighbors, too