ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Ozzy the dog, who was spooked by fireworks and hit by a car before being found by Ocoee police, has been reunited with his family thanks to a microchip, according to Orange County Animal Services.
He was found early Friday, struggling as the crash had caused Ozzy to lose the use of his hind legs, the shelter said on social media. Ozzy was rushed to a veterinary emergency clinic and, once stable, was taken to Orange County Animal Services, where it was found that he had a microchip.
Not only did the microchip enable shelter staff to call Ozzy by his real name, but it revealed who his owners were and how to contact them, the post states. His owners were reportedly distraught to learn of Ozzy’s condition and raced to the shelter upon being notified.
He’s not out of the woods yet, but he’s in his family’s care and will be treated by the veterinarian who knows him best.
We see dozens of lost pets come in each day. There is a significant difference in reunion time between the pets with a registered microchip and those without.
Orange County Animal Services on Facebook 5:57 p.m. Friday, July 5, 2024 (excerpt)
The shelter shared Ozzy’s story to stress the importance of getting pets microchipped, encouraging pet owners to ask their veterinarian about the process. According to the shelter, studies have shown that while lost pets without microchips are returned to their owners 21.9% of the time, pets with microchips are returned 52.2% of the time.
Learn more about microchipping on the shelter’s website.
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