If your pet didn't come home what would you do?

Losing your pet can be a devastating experience, which is why Sarah Farrow from Bedfordshire is pleased to help raise awareness of the importance of microchipping.  Sarah was recently reunited with Chester, her chocolate Labrador, thanks to the work of Petlog, the Kennel Club's pet reunification service, the vital link in getting lost pets home.

Chester went missing from the back garden of Sarah's home in October last year. Since his disappearance, Sarah and her family and friends have worked tirelessly with the support of Petlog to get her beloved pet back.

Sarah explains: "When your pet goes missing you go through a range of emotions desperation, disbelief and shock.  You want to do everything possible to find them again as quickly as you possibly can.   When Chester went missing, it was reassuring to know there was a service to turn to for support and information. Petlog were understanding and positive when I rang them, as were the local police and dog wardens."

In the hope of finding 10 month old Chester again, family and friends helped Sarah to display posters around the local area and contact the local dog wardens, vets and the police.

Sarah adds: "Knowing that Chester had been microchipped gave me a glimmer of hope to cling to that some day he may be found.  I felt I was able to tell myself that I had done everything that I could to enable him to be returned."

Luckily, Chester and Sarah were reunited in May 2006 after a man, who had traded a bridle and saddle to travellers for Chester took him to his local vet to be scanned.

The vet was able to identify Chester by scanning him and reading his unique Petlog reference number on the microchip inserted in his neck, and was able to contact Sarah immediately.

Sarah said: "When the vet scanned Chester and called him by his real name apparently he howled in response.  Words cannot describe how relieved we were to have Chester back in our lives again and how thankful we were to the gentlemen who took him into the vets to be scanned.

Without the microchip we would have never seen him again.  It's hard to describe the joy we felt having him home.  As soon as we returned home again, he went and got on his bed and played with his toys as if he had never been away.

Sarah, a dog groomer has since had her other two puppies microchipped and has even attended a microchipping course.

She said: "After seven months, when we had given up all hope, Chester was returned to us all because an astute man and a vet followed good practice to get him scanned."

To submit your own re-unification story, please e-mail us at petlogadmin@thekennelclub.org.uk

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