Balto’s Return

Balto the Husky was a first anniversary gift from Junior to his then girlfriend when he was just a few months old.  He was well loved and cared for in his Arizona community, but then one day when he was a year and a half, he was able to break loose from his fenced yard in an area that was being completed and secured by cinder blocks to hold it shut.

A typical husky, Balto’s “instincts” didn’t let that contain him!  He busted loose, but thankfully after posting many flyers and posting on social media, Junior had someone reach out to him asking if a husky posted at Maricopa County Animal Care and Control might be Balto.   

It was!  So within just a few days Balto was back home, now neutered and with a microchip.

Balto was a loved and “cool” companion to Junior and his family. Thanks to Balto’s dad for all of these early pics!

The next six months were uneventful other, than Balto being his fun loving self with a love of running, playing, AND learning!  Junior spent a good deal of time teaching him commands including “go around” to walk back around a post he might get wound around during walks.

Then in January 2015, another sorrowful event!  Junior was in the process of moving.  He asked a friend with other dogs and a fenced in yard if he might watch  Balto while he moved.

Once again, Balto’s escape artist skills were exhibited when he found an area that had been digged at by the other dogs and finished off the job until he once again was on the loose!

Fast forward to June 14, 2017!

Justin and his girlfriend decided to drive some distance to take his vehicle to a car wash he had been going to for some time.  A pet lover and one who had taken in stray dogs before to work to reunite them, it didn’t take long for him to notice a husky wandering in the lot.  

He calmly was able to get the dog to come over to him, and he immediately knew he had to get him out of the 115 degree heat and into his air conditioned vehicle.  He was able to easily coax the dog into his air conditioned vehicle, brought him water and knew his next step!  Next, a bowl of welcome water!   The dog had a collar on, but no tags, but Justin was encouraged that given the collar an owner might be found.   The dog looked to be in good health, and surely an owner was looking for him.  But given the temperature and the adjacency of the car wash to a busy road, he couldn’t just leave it there to be “found”.

Justin and his girlfriend got the stray dog out of the 115 degree temps and into safety. Picture provided by Justin.

Justin had previously lived in the area of Laveen where he became acquainted with a network of volunteers looking to reunite pets in their area called Animal Lovers of Laveen.   In particular, he had come to know one volunteer Christine, who is also involved with Lost Dogs Arizona and has become the microchip scanning and tracking guru.  To contact Christine who had a microchip scanner and the know how to try to reunite the dog with his owner if a chip was detected.

Christine, a volunteer with Animal Lovers of Laveen and Lost Dogs Arizona, has become the “go to” person for a variety of lost/found dog situations.  One of them is to scan and TRACK DOWN microchips!  And she is GOOD AT IT!  In fact, she’s involved with the microchiphelp.com initiative of HeLPingLostPets. and Lost Dogs of America.

Christine told Justin to come on over and she would scan the dog.  A veteran in scanning dogs, including huskies that are prone to being somewhat wiggly and evasive during the scan, Christine was prepared to do a thorough scan to be SURE if this dog had a chip that she would find it!

To Justin and Christine’s delight, a microchip was detected, but this was just the beginning of Christine’s quest to get this dog reunited.

Christine contacted the microchip company and learned that the name of the contact and the contact info put this dog’s chip into the “dead end chip” category.    But Christine is among others who have the determination and sleuth skills that have become a part of the team at microchiphelp.com and partnership developed between HeLPingLostPets and Lost Dogs of America to bring together their volunteers who have honed their skills, or would like to, in tracking down dead end chips.

And so, Christine began her detective work!  She was able to find one solid clue! One post from when Balto went missing the 2nd time.

Turns out that Junior didn’t post as heavily in social media the second time, so Christine was very fortunate to find the post!

Within a few hours of research and outreach, Christine unlocked the mystery and tracked down the owner through a relative.

Turned out that the chip had been registered to Junior’s wife under her maiden name and with an old number. 

By 10:30 at night Christine was talking to Balto’s owner!

Two years later, as if it was yesterday

Thanks to Christine for this reunited pic!

When Junior received Christine’s call that she had Balto he was in happy amazement that a day he had prayed for had finally come.

Ironically, or maybe thanks to a higher order, Balto was found on the 14th of the month, which was the 4th anniversary celebration of Junior and his now wife Jasmine!

It didn’t take long for Junior and his family to travel from west Phoenix to Laveen (about 13 miles) to be reunited with Balto!  Balto’s excitement when he saw Junior took any question out of whether the right owner had been found!   Plus, during their reunion, Junior said his “go around” command, and Balto took a minute, seemed to process the command, and then low and behold he did it!

Back home

Wherever Balto has been, it is clear he was cared for which is a blessing that doesn’t go unnoticed by Junior.  

“I’ve just been blessed by having the right people come into my life”, say Junior who says that it’s as if Balto never left.  “He’s just a bit more mature, but he’s the same old Balto”.   

While many who have lost their pets end up bringing a new one into their household, Junior’s family had not.  While his wife would ask, he just didn’t feel it was time. 

Only back for a few days, Balto has gone in to be groomed and played in the dog park, frolicking around as he always did.

Story Take-Aways:

• Finders should always make the effort to try to find the owner of a stray, from taking in to have it scanned for a microchip (encourage those scanning to do thorough full body and even using multiple scanners).  Also post flyers and announcements on social media etc.  Also following any local jurisdiction laws related to found animals.
• If you see a stray, don’t just disregard it, even if you can’t immediately help.  Take a pic if possible and share with a lost/found pet FB page in your area, AND enter as a sighting on HelpingLostPets.com.  If you feel local animal control can assist contact them as well.
•  If you lose a pet, make sure to quickly alert the microchip company, and at the same time provide updated contact info, even adding additional contacts.   Even if the pet has been missing for sometime, keep the chip company updated with any phone, email, and address changes you may have.
   

Check out our Unite2Reunite initiative 
to get started helping others who are missing their beloved pets!