Lost dog reunited with family quickly thanks to Lincoln animal control, microchip implant

A Lincoln mom who called animal control about her runaway pet was relieved to learn that it had already been found!

Lincoln animal control found her dog, Zoey, and thanks to a microchip implant they were able to locate her owner.

On Monday morning, the Williams’ family dog Zoey got out and ran away from home.

“The wind blew the door open as I was giving her (Zoey) her medicine. She took off, and she’s a lot faster than me, I’m 8 and a half months pregnant, so she’s a lot faster than me right now,” said Anita Williams.

Zoey was found near 27th and Fletcher.

Animal control came to get her and immediately tried to contact the rightful owner.

“When I couldn’t walk anymore I called animal control and they had already had her. Before I even got done saying, I lost my dog, they said, ‘hold on we have your dog.'”

Rachael Middleton, the animal control officer who picked Zoey up, says getting a pet microchipped is always a good idea.

That way, lost pets can be returned faster, putting less stress on the animal.

“I feel like it’s better on the animal if we can find the owner super fast and get them home instead of having to drive all the way to the shelter. I just think it’s much easier on the animal, it’s gratifying to be able to find the owner right away,” said Middleton.

Williams says Zoey has run away a few times in the past.

The Border Collie was a rescue animal that came microchipped already.

Williams says without one, Zoey might have been lost forever.

“Every time, it’s the microchip that brings her back to us,” said Williams.

The average cost to put a microchip on a pet is around 45 dollars.

Officer Middleton says sometimes pet collars can fall off, or tags can be scuffed, making them hard to read.

Williams says the extra cost to microchip is worth it every time.

“Absolutely microchip your dog. Absolutely. Your dog, your cat, any animal that you would want back.”