March 20, 2014
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 20, 2014
For more information,
Contact: Natalie Lester
Moxley Carmichael
(865) 544-0088
Officials encourage families to microchip their pets
When Maisy the beagle showed up as a stray at Young-Williams Animal Center, the staff knew there was something special about her. As part of the intake process, animals at Young-Williams Animal Center are scanned for a microchip. Fortunately, Maisy had one and her family had kept their contact information updated. After missing Maisy for more than five years, Chad and April Helland were reunited with her on Tuesday, March 18.
“We never gave up hope,” Chad Helland said. “April and I had talked about Maisy on a regular basis, and we always wondered what happened to her. We’re so thankful we had her microchipped all those years ago, and we’re forever grateful to Young-Williams Animal Center for reuniting our family.”
Young-Williams Animal Center encourages all community pet owners to microchip their pets. A microchip with registration is included in the adoption fee for every animal that is adopted from the shelter. The simple procedure can also be performed at local veterinary offices.
“Microchipping your pet can save your dog’s or cat’s life,” said Jeff Ashin, CEO of Young-Williams Animal Center. “It provides a permanent ID tag that won’t fall off and can’t be removed. It is the most permanent way to show that your pet is part of your family. Without Maisy’s microchip and updated registration, we may never have been able to reunite her with the Hellands.”
Both cats and dogs should be microchipped in case they are ever lost. All lost and stray animals that are picked up by Animal Control, as well as many that are picked up by concerned citizens, are brought to Young-Williams Animal Center. The staff scans each animal for a microchip. If community members find a pet, they should bring the animal to Young-Williams Animal Center so it can be scanned for a chip.
If community members have lost a pet, Young-Williams Animal Center is the first place to look. Lost and Found services are located at 3201 Division St., off Sutherland Avenue and are open from noon-6 p.m., seven days a week. Pet owners should come in person to look for lost pets at least once every three days at the animal center to ensure they don’t miss their pet.
Just like Maisy, pets can show up long after they first went missing.
“Pet owners shouldn’t ever give up on a lost pet,” Ashin said. “Pets show up weeks, months and years after they first go missing. Microchipping your pet is the best way to ensure you’ll be reunited if your pet is ever lost, but you should also check our shelter, post fliers around the neighborhood and share lost pet notices on social media.”
About Young-Williams Animal Center
Young-Williams Animal Center reminds the community to please spay and neuter your pets.
The Young-Williams Animal Center is the official animal shelter for Knox County and the City of Knoxville. The center is a nonprofit organization, community-supported through public and private donations, that turns no animal away and is dedicated to the sheltering and placement of animals, general animal welfare, and public education of companion animal issues.
Young-Williams Animal Center is located off Sutherland Avenue at the entrance to John Tarleton Park at 3201 Division St. Young-Williams Animal Village is located at 6400 Kingston Pike adjacent to Deane Hill Drive. Both locations are open seven days a week from noon-6 p.m.
For more information about Young-Williams Animal Center, including detailed driving directions, call 865-215-6599 or visit http://www.young-williams.org.
