Nova was trapped on 07/22/2020. She was missing since 06/05/20 from the area of Lockville Road in Dallas. She was extremely skittish of people and just arrived from Puerto Rico.
Nova – Recovered – 07-22-2020
Zoey – Recovered – 07-15-2020
Zoey lives in Pittsburgh but was in visiting with family in Lattimer when she became frightened and jumped a fence on Sunday, July 12. Below is Zoey’s capture video from this evening. She is such a skittish dog, but is also gentle and sweet. 
Thank you to the guys at Lattimer Machine & Fabricating Company for letting us use your property to feed and trap Zoey. Thank you to Zoey’s family for trusting us to get her back home safe and sound. 
Thank you to my wonderful friend Denise for setting up the camera last night at the food station and for setting up the trap with me today for Zoey. I’m so thankful for your friendship. Maybe someday we can actually eat dinner together again. 
And thank you to my hubby for always loading my traps into my truck so I’m ready to go and for always having my back.
Welcome home Zoey, stay safe!! you pretty girl.
Zoey’s Capture Video
What You Need to Know About Microchips
What is a Microchip?
A microchip is a permanent method of electronic identification. The chip itself is very small – about the size of a grain of rice – and is implanted subcutaneously (just under the skin) between the shoulder blades at the back of your pet’s neck. Each chip has a unique number that is detected using a microchip scanner.
Why do we use Microchips?
We use microchips as a form of identifying a pet to a specific owner, guardian or shelter/rescue. Unfortunately, pets go missing all of the time and a microchip is one of a few ways that a lost pet can be identified and returned to his/her owner/guardian.
Should I rely on just a Microchip?
No, there are a few problems that must be discussed when talking about microchips. First even if your pet has a microchip, if it isn’t registered to you with up-to-date information when your lost pet is found whoever scans your pet and discovers the microchip (shelter staff, veterinarian, etc.) will not be able to get reach you. Second, if the chip scanner used by the person scanning your lost pet doesn’t read your type of chip they will think your pet doesn’t have one. We can only hope that they have more than one scanner to test, but I there is no guarantee of that. Third, not all chips and databases are created equal. There are chip manufactures that may not have 24-hour service or allow their data to be accessed by certain online Universal Microchip Lookup Tools like the one from AAHA (American Animal Hospital Association).
How long do microchips last?
Some manufactures claim microchips are designed to work for 25 years.
Can I track my missing pet with a microchip?
No, they simply are not designed that way. Microchips are not a tracking device. They are based on RFID (Radio-frequency identification) technology which doesn’t require a power source. GPS devices require a power source.
Why is having 24-hour phone support important?
If a person or rescue finds a missing pet that has a microchip and it is injured, they will need to contact the owners to get medical consent in order to attend to its medical needs. Depending on the injuries you may only have a short time period to provide medical care. Therefore, it is so important to keep your information, especially your contact phone numbers up-to-date.
What is a microchip scanner?
A microchip scanner is a device used to read the RFID microchip/ID tag embedded into certain animals. Each microchip contains a registration number and the scanner reads the radio frequency of the chip and displays this information. Now, not all microchip scanners are created equal because they don’t read every chip out there on the market. We have had great success with the scanner from Home Again, and suggest ordering directly from them to get the best price and the most up-to-date unit. There are ones for sale online, but you will never know if it is the latest revision. The Compact Max from Datamars is another great microchip scanner
I have a microchip number now what?
Some microchip scanners will also give you a phone number to call, but when that doesn’t work you can check online. There is a Universal Microchip Lookup Tools from AAHA (American Animal Hospital Association) the web address is http://www.petmicrochiplookup.org. Now as we stated above, not all chip manufactures provide information to this database, so you may have to do some more research. There are other charts out there online that will give you a most likely manufacture contact information based on the number provided by the microchip.
Currently, these companies are incorporated into the AAHA Online Lookup Tool:
- 24PetWatch Pet Protection Services
- 911PetChip & Free Pet Chip Registry
- ACA MARRS
- AKC Reunite
- BC Pet Registry
- BeKind PetFind
- EIDAP
- Found Animals
- Furreka
- HomeAgain
- Homeward Bound Pet
- InfoPET
- Microchip I.D. Solutions
- Microchip ID Systems, Inc.
- Nanochip ID Inc.
- National Animal Identification Center
- PetKey
- PetLink
- Petstablished
- Save This Life
- SmartTag Microchip
– Information for participating companies provided by AAHA @ http://www.petmicrochiplookup.org/participating_companies.aspx
Microchip Number Formats
• No chip number can start with a letter.
• No chip number is over 15 digits in length, or less than 9.
• If a chip number has alpha characters in it, it can be only 10 characters in length.
• Chip numbers must be either 9, 10 or 15 characters. Nothing in between should be accepted. (Eg. 11, 14, etc)
Here is a website with a chart on the microchip number formats – http://www.petpoint.com/help/ipad/microchip_registration.htm
How do I register my pet?
Some veterinarians will register the microchip they implant, but it is a good idea to ask what brand it is and go online and verify the information they have entered. If you must do it, then you will complete the paperwork that comes with the chip and send it to the registry or do it online if that option is available. Some companies charge a one-time registration fee while others charge an annual fee. You’ll also receive a tag for your pet’s collar with the chip number and registry phone number. If your pet came from a shelter or rescue group, the chip may be registered to them. It is a good idea that after the adoption (if this is allowed in your adoption contract) that you update that registration information with your contact info.
What can I do if my pet has a microchip number, but they aren’t in the online database?
Well, the good news is there are two different companies that you can register your pet’s chip with to either have a primary source of information or as a secondary backup to manufacturer of the chip in your pet. They are Home Again and Found Animals. Home Again charges around $20 per year (which includes several benefits) and Found Animals is free.
Can a microchip move inside my pet?
It is always a good idea to have your pet (or a lost pet you are helping) scanned all over their whole body. Although some may say it is less likely today that microchips will migrate, we still encounter pets with chips in various places of their bodies other than where they were implanted. We have even detected microchips that moved to the back legs, so it is a good idea to check all over.
Summary
Microchips are a great tool in helping identify your pet or a lost pet, but we still believe all pets should be wearing a collar and tag as well. When asked, “Where do you first check when trying to identify a lost or stray pet?” more than 80% of rescuers say they check the tags first. While it is true that collars can break off when a pet roams outdoors, it is more probable that a collar and tag on your pet will provide the finder all the information needed to find you and get your pet home safe. If you want to rely on your microchip only, be sure to have it checked every time your pet sees your veterinarian for shots. Another good idea is if someone is holding a microchip clinic locally stop by with your pet and ask them to check it. I am sure they would be more than happy to help.
REMEMBER KEEP YOUR MICROCHIP INFORMATION UP-TO-DATE!!
Red on the run: Couple loses dog in Mt. Top area, setting off 2-week search
Times Leader Article -Written By Tom Venesky – Published May 5, 2018
Sarah Hoopingarner’s heart sank when she walked out of the rest area along Interstate 81 in Dorrance Township on April 15.
Two of her three dogs were were tied to a picnic table and her husband Jack was nowhere in sight.
Neither was Hoopingarner’s third dog, Red.
Minutes later, after Hoopingarner put the other two dogs in their camper, Jack emerged and confirmed Sarah’s worst fear.
“He just said, ‘Red. He’s gone,’” Sarah recalled. “It was just a sickening feeling.”
The Hoopingarners were traveling through the area headed back home to Connecticut after vacationing in North Carolina. The quick stop at the rest area was routine enough, and as Sarah used the restroom Jack walked their three dogs. That’s when Red, who is a 6-year-old chow retriever mix, slipped out of his harness and bolted, setting off a two-week search that tested the Hoopingarners, rallied the Mountain Top community and unveiled a hero.
Immediately after losing Red, the Hoopingarners channeled their panic into rescue mode. They canvassed the Mountain Top area with flyers, desperately followed leads and drove around day and night searching for their dog. Because they had already had their camper with them from vacation, the Hoopingarners parked it near Alberdeen Road hoping Red would find them.
Even though the couple was more than 200 miles from their home in Connecticut, they weren’t going anywhere without Red.
“It was horrific. Our dogs are our kids,” Sarah said. “It was one of the worst things we ever went through, and had it not been for the Mountain Top community we wouldn’t have been able to get through it like we did.”
That first week, the Hoopingarners searched for Red around the clock to the point of exhaustion. Sarah said Mountain Top residents — strangers — were even driving around looking for Red after they read about the plight on Facebook. People routinely stopped by the camper to offer help, drop off food and water and even offered a place to stay.
Meanwhile, sightings kept coming in. Red sightings were reported in Slocum Township, near Church Road, and one call came in from the state police that Red was walking along the interstate in the middle of the night.
The Hoopingarners immediately followed every reported sighting, and at one point Sarah got to within 10 feet of Red. But when she approached, the panicked dog ran again.
“He was in flight mode. He is skittish and his instinct was to run, and keep running,” Sarah said.
On April 22, after seven days of searching, the Hoopingarners were faced with a daunting reality.
They had to go back home. There were jobs to return to back in Connecticut, and they had already been gone for a long time.
Walking back into their home was heartbreaking, Sarah said.
“There was such a void. I would look at Red’s food dish and his toys … it was an awful feeling,” she said. “After a few days, we had to get back and look for Red.”
‘We have Red’
When the Hoopingarners returned to Mountain Top, they knew they couldn’t continue the search on their own. At 2 a.m. April 26, they sent a message to Tracey Morgan-Chopick, who operates Luzerne County Pet Recovery Services with husband Jeff.
The Hoopingarners pleaded for help, and Morgan-Chopick immediately went to work.
Having recovered countless lost pets over the years, Morgan-Chopick already had a plan. She put out six feed stations in the areas where Red was seen and monitored them with trail cameras. Morgan-Chopick also handed out 400 flyers going door-to-door in the Mountain Top area and posted dozens more in local businesses.
While Morgan-Chopick’s know-how when it came to finding lost pets was invaluable, her advice on what not to do was perhaps most important.
“When a pet runs off, the owner wants to chase and call. That’s the wrong thing to do,” she said. “These animals are in survival mode. When there’s any type of commotion, they’re going to flee.”
That advice played a key role in Red’s rescue.
A day after Luzerne County Pet Recovery Services got involved, they also got a break.
Morgan-Chopick was driving through Mountain Top on April 27 when she got a call from a resident on St. Mary’s Road. The caller saw one of Red’s flyers at the grocery store and told Morgan-Chopick she thought the dog was in her yard.
“I was minutes away. I got to the house, set up a trail camera and a bowl of food and immediately left,” Morgan-Chopick said. “My thought was we’d have to set a trap, but you need to make sure the dog is comfortable coming to the food first.”
Soon after Morgan-Chopick left, the resident called again. Red was back, hit the food and was now lying the yard. Morgan-Chopick was sticking to her plan to set a live trap after Red walked away again.
Later, with everything ready to set the trap, Morgan-Chopick pulled into the driveway and met the resident, who said Red crawled under her porch.
The plan changed.
Sarah and Morgan-Chopick’s husband arrived on the scene and the trio converged on the porch, blocking every exit.
Sarah peered underneath and Red began whimpering.
“The minute I saw him I wanted to go to him, but Tracey and her husband said you can’t do that. So I talked to him softly and crawled under the porch a bit, and Red scooted to me and I was able to leash him,” Sarah said.
“This entire ordeal had been going on for two weeks. We hadn’t been sleeping. It took me a long time to process that we have Red.”
With Red no longer on the run, Sarah and Morgan-Chopick drove back to Jack who had no idea the mission was complete.
Morgan-Chopick opened the door to reveal Red sitting on Sarah’s lap.
“Red was so happy and Jack and Sarah were crying hysterically. That moment makes all the work and effort worth it,” Morgan-Chopick said.
Link to the original article: https://www.timesleader.com/top-stories/702623/red-on-the-run-couple-loses-dog-in-mt-top-area-setting-off-2-week-search#
Lost & Found News Article Published in the Citizens’ Voice
Checkout This Lost & Found News Article from the Citizens’ Voice below.
BY JACK SMILES, CITIZENS’ VOICE CORRESPONDENT / PUBLISHED: FEBRUARY 11, 2018
Trouble viewing CLICK HERE for PDF version.