I lost a pet once, and it was a nightmare. You see, I’m a huge dog lover. Like, full-on obsessed. I’ve got four at home right now—three wild little maniacs and one sweet old senior who just wants to nap in peace. But before all of them, there was Taz. He was my first dog, my soul pup, the OG. I got him in high school, and we were tight. Like peanut butter and jelly, SpongeBob and Patrick, me and anxiety. I had him for almost 19 years. Taz was everything to me.
We did everything together—road trips, hikes, lazy couch days, you name it. So, when I went on a family vacation to Mexico and left Taz at home with my buddies Booger and Hawglegg (yes, that’s their names), I thought everything would be fine. Spoiler alert: it wasn’t.
Taz apparently decided he was gonna go full Homeward Bound and try to find me himself. The second Booger left the door cracked, Taz dipped. Just straight-up peaced out on his own adventure. Meanwhile, I was thousands of miles away, swimming with seals, when I got the lost pet phone call—“Taz is missing.”
Let me tell you, no amount of tacos or tequila could calm me down. I was a wreck. And back then, microchips weren’t a big thing yet, so Taz was out in the world without any way to be tracked. My crew back home—Booger, my buddy Hawglegg hit the streets with flyers, calling everyone. I was racing home, praying.
When I landed—no news. But that night, we got THE call at the radio station. Someone found a dog that looked like Taz. Turns out, it WAS him. He’d ended up in a shelter, safe and sound. I was lucky. But not everyone is.
That’s why what Lee County Domestic Animal Services is doing is awesome. Starting May 1, they’re expanding their “Check the Chip” program. You can now take any found lost pet to the North Fort Myers Fire District, 2900 Trail Dairy Circle, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week. Staff there will scan the pet for a microchip and help reunite them with their owner. If needed, they’ll even hang on to the pet until Animal Services arrives.
Microchips are tiny—like, rice-sized—but they’re lifesavers. Unlike tags or collars, they can’t fall off or be removed. If your pet ever pulls a “Taz,” a microchip is their best shot at getting home.
So don’t wait. Get your pet microchipped. And if they already are? You’re way ahead of the game.
For more info, call 239-533-7387 (LEE-PETS) or visit www.LeeLostPets.com. You can also find them on Facebook and Instagram @leeanimalservices.
Trust me—your future self (and your dog) will thank you.
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