Microchipping is so important.

My 3 yr old chocolate lab was stolen out of my backyard. The neighbors saw him taken despite my dog fighting and biting the guy, he got a way with him. They called the police but only had a description of the man, no car was seen. A week later in my effort to find I him, flyers, notices everywhere, notices at the shelters just in case and vets, and I kept driving around looking for him; I expanded my search every day. 30 miles out in a neighborhood, I found him; collar and tags gone, but it was him. When I tried to approach, some guy came out of his house with a gun and chased me to my car.

I called the police and at first they didn't believe me. I stayed there across the street watching my dog until they came and asked for animal control to come and check for a microchip right then and there. I had his papers to prove his number was mine from the vet who implanted it. It was my baby. The guy was arrested and I got my dog back.

My baby had nasty cuts around his neck and burn marks, that were treated and eventually healed. I ended up breaking my lease to move to a place with a higher fenced yard so he could be out on his own again. He was never quite the same in that he always stuck by my side and that his precious adventurous spirit was gone, and for a lab that says a lot.

Lesson: collars and tags can be removed or get lost, microchips not. The police also said that for those that steal dogs for breeding kennels or fighting clubs, if they see they have microchip tags on that they are less likely to take them or keep them, surrendering them to a kennel if found.