A Chihuahua-terrier mix named Ryder, who had disappeared from its home in Las Vegas, was miraculously discovered 335 miles away in California. The remarkable reunion occurred when Ryder was found outside a Ross Dress for Less store and taken to the San Diego Humane Society. Thanks to the microchip implanted in the 9-year-old dog, his family was identified, and they were overjoyed to be reunited with him at the El Cajon Campus on July 20.
The exact journey that led Ryder to California remains a mystery. The dog had turned up at the shelter as a stray on July 17, leaving everyone astonished at how he managed such a long journey from Las Vegas to San Diego.
A heartwarming video captured the emotional reunion between Ryder and his owner, Debbie Ferris, as they happily headed back home together. The SDHS spokesperson emphasized the significance of microchipping in reuniting lost pets with their families and expressed how this small device played a vital role in Ryder’s homecoming.
Microchipping provides an invaluable way to identify pets accurately, as the information stored on the chip cannot be altered or manipulated. The painless procedure involves injecting the microchip between the dog’s shoulder blades, and it generally does not need replacement throughout the pet’s lifetime. The microchip contains only a unique reference number, ensuring the owner’s personal information remains secure.
However, it’s essential to understand that a microchip is not a GPS tracker and cannot independently locate a missing dog. Despite this limitation, the benefits of microchipping far outweigh the risks, as the chance of reuniting lost pets with their owners significantly increases.
In the United States, approximately 810,000 animals that end up in shelters as strays are successfully returned to their owners each year, with the aid of microchips. These heartwarming reunions are a testament to the importance of microchipping pets and the role it plays in ensuring their safety and well-being.
