Extra effort reunites unlicensed dog with owner | iNFOnews | Thompson-Okanagan's News Source
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Kelowna News

Extra effort reunites unlicensed dog with owner

A Kelowna dog owner has been reunited with their family pet, but it now has a licence tag hanging from its collar.  Had the dog originally been wearing a licence that would have been its ticket home.

It took the extra effort of several Regional District Dog Pound staff to bring the previously unlicensed dog back to its family.

The black Labrador mix was found running at large in a Kelowna neighbourhood on June 18th.  As is the case with many of the dogs that are impounded each year, it was not licensed.  Pound staff wasn’t able to find any microchip identification on the dog, but managed to find a faded and worn tattoo. That led them to call two clinics near 100 Mile House, which was able to provide information about a possible owner and a connection for some family in the Kelowna area.

Staff made some further checks that generated a match with the owner, who was just returning from an eight day vacation out of the area.  The lab had been left with others while the family was out of town and somehow got away.

Seven days later, RDCO pound staff returned the dog to its owner, who has now licensed the dog and paid the additional fees to cover the cost of keeping the dog in the facility.

Is there a lesson here?  The first principle in responsible dog ownership is to license your pet.  A licence on its collar is its ticket home should the dog accidentally get away.  Often times, RDCO pound staff can facilitate a reunion by phone, without having to make a trip to the Weddell Place facility.  Starting January 2014, there will be zero tolerance for any dog found without a licence.

Later this summer, the Regional District will be unveiling the ‘My Dog Matters’ rewards program and website, supported by community minded businesses to provide something back for responsible dog owners that license their pet.

This is one step in the effort that’s underway by the Regional District to encourage and support responsible dog ownership and licensing in the Central Okanagan.  The cost of a new licence for a spayed or neutered dog is $20 and $60 if it isn’t.  It’s a small price to pay to improve the chances of a speedy reunion.

Dogs not licensed and impounded are subject to an additional $100 fee, on top of the regular impound and licensing fees.

Dog licences may be purchased in person at any local government office in the Central Okanagan.    Locations are available in the Dog section of the Regional District website regionaldistrict.com/dogs.  That’s where you’ll find other information about the Regional Dog service and what to do if you lose or find a dog.

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