Retriever Rescue

Have just read a rather worrying story in our local rag. Bear in mind this dog was chipped.
Some months ago, a lady lost her Boxer. They had contacted everyone they could think of, but no sighting.The lady had also rung the pound to be informed that the dog had been rehomed. Some 5 months down the line, her friend rang to inform her that she thought she knew where the dog was. By a stroke of luck, she had been walking in a park, some miles from home, and spoke to a lady with a Boxer. It turned out that the lady had been trying to find his original owner. He had been taken to a local pound, then rehomed after 7 days. The people who got him passed him onto the lady, who tried to find his owner. Because of the Data protection, she couldn't have the relevant info'. By a string of happy events, he is now back at home, with his delighted mum and family.
So much for having them chipped, surely it is a matter of course to check for them? We were both horrified to read this. But, it does make you wonder how many have been thru' their system and not gone home.

Just read this and it is worrying.. our vets practice is down as having chipped Cobi and Ginnie as well as our details. Cobi has the added problem that her 'chip' has migrated down the front of her body, around her collar bone, and when the 'paddle' was used on the back of her neck it wasn't picked up, I haven't got the heart to have it removed and then re-inserted, and it could happen again, it must be because both Ginnie and Cobi playfight so vigorously it moved. My vet assures me that as this happens occasionally, the person checking the dogs with the 'paddle' check the dogs whole body, I've read reports about dogs not being allowed back into this Country due to the chip migrating, Cobi also has several distinguishing features, i.e. fur grows the wrong way like a rosette on a guinea pig in a certain place and many marks that only we know and have photographed.

Yes if a dog goes missing by law you have 7 days to find him/her, then they can be rehomed by rescues, Microchips do move, I was checking a dog the other day for one and the chip had moved down his leg...best to have on their ID disc "I am chipped scan me" unfortunately though the dog wardens are inundated with dogs and dont always scan them properly, have heard stories like this many times...but luckily for this dog it was a happy outcome...

I wouldn't put my faith in a microchip as you all say they move and lots of them do some to the point where you can not find them no matter how many times you scan and wherever you scan. People move house and do not alter the chip. They never think about it after it has been inserted. If they go away they do not tell the chip centre so again if the dog goes missing no one can be contacted so again no owner found. The list is endless.

It is good if your dog's chip is where it should be and the person who finds him has him scanned and then you are at home to receive the call. All will be well.

Call me an old cynic