The Gallagher family of Lougher, Duleek in Ireland are speaking out about the importance of microchipping your pets after receiving a holiday surprise that made them “happier than any lottery winners.”
After 6 long months, they were reunited with their missing dog Spot. If not for his microchip, that joyous day may never have come.
Spot was welcomed into the Gallagher family 6 years ago as a companion to their 10-year-old German Shepherd, Dora. As is common in the Irish countryside, Spot and Dora would often go off exploring throughout the day, always returning in time for meals.
That is until last May 25 when the precocious Jack Russell did not come home. After searching the area for weeks and imploring their neighbors to keep a look out, they began to lose hope that Spot would ever return.
The entire family was crushed, including Dora who began refusing her meals, lost most of her hair, and suffered from skin infections related to her stress.
Compounding their devastation was the fact that Spot had become a constant companion to 9-year-old Samuel ever since he’d been diagnosed with diabetes. Spot seemed to sense Samuel’s illness and rarely left the boy’s side.
Jason Gallagher, Samuel’s father, told the Irish Mirror:
“It was unbelievable. It was like a death in the family when he disappeared. The little fella grieved for the dog and the change in him was unreal.”
Mr. Gallagher said in a story by Independent.ie:
“I took Spot to the vet for a check-up and he is 2kg [4.4 lbs] overweight, so he was obviously living the life of a lord wherever he was. He was well looked after.”
The Gallaghers moved on as best they could until Jason received a call from Collon Animal Sanctuary in Co Louth saying that a dog had been surrendered to them and his microchip registration showed that it was Spot!
It seems that someone had mistaken Spot for a stray during one of his walkabouts and kept him as their own pet for 6 months before giving him up due to allergies.
“I couldn’t believe it. I picked him up last Wednesday and had him sitting in the porch when Samuel arrived home from school. There were neighbors in to see his reaction and there were tears from everyone. The kids cried, the wife cried and the neighbors cried.”
Reunited after 7 months !! The Gallagher family had given up hope of ever finding their beloved 6yr old terrier Spot,…
Posted by Collon Animal Sanctuary on Wednesday, December 7, 2016
The Gallaghers are grateful to the family who kept Spot safe and healthy, and of course, for the microchip that brought him home again.
Jason Gallagher is now urging everyone to follow suit and have their pets microchipped and registered. He said:
“I can’t stress how important it is. I would’ve walked past Spot in the street because I wouldn’t have been sure it was him with the added weight.”
Thankfully Spot is back where he belongs just in time to celebrate Christmas with his family. Although they are looking forward to the holiday, Jason says there is no present on earth that could match the happiness of having their dog home again.
“It was pure joy at home. When the big fella comes on Christmas Eve, my kids won’t be smiling as much as when they saw that dog again,”
