Quick canine … Heidi was devastated when her family’s Schnoodle Bobby ran away. But they were reunited thanks to micropchipping. 60677 Picture: DAMJAN JANEVSKI
By Belinda Nolan
IF BRIMBANK had a canine Olympics little Bobby would be a shoo-in for the Marathon.
The cheeky Schnoodle led his frantic owners on a 5km dog hunt after escaping from his Sunshine home last month.
When owners Peter Collins responded to a door bell ring, an enterprising Bobby took his chance, bolting through the front door and into the darkness.
Mr Collins and his wife Heidi spent an anxious two days searching but there was no sign of the precocious pooch.
“I tried to chase after him but he was too fast for my legs,” Mr Collins said.
“My wife was very upset.”
But thanks to microchipping, Bobby was reunited with his family.
Two days after his spectacular vanishing act, Brimbank Council’s animal management officers located him near Maribyrnong’s Highpoint Shopping Centre, around 5km from his home.
“It’s a pretty long walk for a little poodle, I wouldn’t want to walk that far myself,” Mr Collins said.
“I think he was glad to be home. We had to give him a bath because he stank and he hadn’t had food or drink for two days. Needless to say, he had a pretty good sleep that night.”
Brimbank Council is encouraging pet owners to safeguard their pets by having them microchipped. The council is holding a microchipping day on Saturday 26 March at Sunshine’s Kevin Wheelahan Gardens.
Stephen Sully, the council’s General Manager of City Development said the council was offering special incentives to encourage more dog and cat owners to register their animals, including a “one off bonus” for all cats and dogs microchipped and registered for the first time on the day, to get next year’s registration free of charge.
Microchipping will be offered at a discounted rate of $25 on the day. For more information call 9249 4000.
