South Gloucestershire | Archive | 2005 | July | 29
From the Gazette, first published Friday 29th Jul 2005.
VETS in Thornbury are urging members of the public to tag their pets with identity chips or risk losing them forever.
The warning comes after vets at The Coppins Veterinary Practise in Milbury Heath have been left to re-house a cat because its owners had not tagged her.
Head veterinary nurse Emma Brooks told the Gazette: "Four weeks ago a little black cat was found wondering around Thornbury Golf Club. The nurses checked for a collar and microchip but as usual for stray animals, there was no identification."
With no way of identifying the cat that nurses have named Nala, there is no way of returning her to her rightful owners and staff at the practise will have to look into finding her a new home.
"Situations like this can be easily avoided if owners micro chip their pets. Had Nala been micro chipped she would have been reunited with her family almost immediately," added Emma.
Micro chipping pets is easy and relatively painless. The chip, which is about the size of a grain of rice, is injected into the loose skin between the animal's shoulder blades and contains its own unique number. The number is then registered for life with Petlog, the national missing pets database.
For now Nala has taken residence at The Coppins but Emma explained that the situation is far from perfect and all the nurses would like to see the pet reunited with her owners.
"If you recognise Nala then do not hesitate to call the practise and we will return her to you immediately. Alternatively, anybody wishing to give Nala a loving home can also contact the surgery."
Nala, who is between three and seven years old, has black, short hair with a slightly balding tummy and is believed to be in good health. If you're Nala's owner or would like to re-home her call The Coppins Veterinary Clinic on 01454 269339.
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