AKC-CAR National Pet Recovery Hotline Recovers 200,000th Pet

AKC-Companion Animal Recovery Averages A Recovery Every Nine Minutes

Raleigh, NC (PRWEB) May 12, 2004 --- More than 200,000 pet owners across the United States can now thank the American Kennel Clubs Companion Animal Recovery program (AKC-CAR) for helping reunite them with their lost pets. AKC-CAR recorded its 200,000th pet recovery this month, marking a major milestone for the nine-year old service. AKC-CAR is the nations only recovery service that is staffed 24 hours a day/7 days a week/365 days a year, with more than 2.3 million pets in its database. That makes it the largest direct-to-owner pet database in the country.

Through the use of a tiny rice-sized microchip ID, shelters and veterinarians can identify lost pets even if they have lost their collars and ID tags. The chip is implanted permanently under the skin between the shoulder blades. Once the chip is detected by a universal scanner, the shelter or veterinarian can call the National Pet Recovery Hotline (1-800-252-7894) and give the unique ID number on the chip to an AKC-CAR Recovery Coordinator, who can then access the database and identify the pets owner.

This is an incredible milestone for AKC-CAR," said Dr. Carmen Battaglia, president and CEO of AKC-CAR. It means that 200,000 pet owners have their beloved companions back home, even when the pets may have lost their collars and ID tags. It brings us closer to eliminating that sign that says 'lost pet."

The microchips can be implanted by most veterinarians across the country. However, Dr. Battaglia reminds pet owners that the important step is enrolling the pets ID number in the AKC-CAR database.

Without enrollment, the number is simply that, a number," said Dr. Battaglia. Without the owner enrolling that pet in our database, there would be no way of knowing who the pet or the owner is."

Since 1995, AKC-CAR has recorded some incredible recoveries through its National Pet Recovery Hotline. They include Beethoven, a boxer that was recovered 500 miles from home after being missing for over three years, and Mo & Ziggy, two Labrador retrievers that were returned to their Denver owner after turning up 1,400 miles away in Atlanta, Georgia.

About the AKC Companion Animal Recovery Program
The American Kennel Club formed the non-profit AKC- CAR program in 1995 as a public service to help pet owners reunite with their lost animals by using a permanent identification process. Partnering with Schering-Plough Animal Health (SPAH), AKC-CAR works with veterinarians, animal shelters and other organizations to enroll as many pets as possible in its database. CAR is an affiliate of the American Kennel Club and is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. For more information, visit the AKC-CAR website at www.akccar.org or call the National Pet Recovery Hotline at 1-800-252-7894 or email found@akc.org.

Graham Wilson
PRStreet, Inc.
1-888-736-3787
gwilson@prstreet.com
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