Missing Molly Home Again

Glenda W., of Brantford, Ontario, was devastated when she was told that her much-loved 10-year Australian Shepherd had a massive tumor in her stomach. Soon after the diagnosis, the dog had to be put to sleep.

"I missed my dog very, very much and I wanted to get another one," said Glenda. "I had the idea that I would adopt a smaller, less hairy dog. Considering that I spend a lot of time with my young niece and nephew, I knew I needed a dog that was well-mannered. I found Molly, a Great Pyrenees cross, at the Hamilton/Burlington SPCA." 

Despite the fact that Molly was NOT small, she was very friendly and gentle with the kids, who had accompanied their Aunt to the SPCA.  Glenda says she just had to adopt her. Just days after going to her new home, the dog slipped out an open gate and took herself for a walk!

"I felt so bad that I had cared for my other dog for 10 years and never lost her!" explained Glenda. "To have Molly only a week and then have her gone was awful. Fortunately, however, I had read the information I had received from the SPCA and I registered her with PetLynx soon after I  brought her home."

As soon as Gelnda noticed Molly was gone, she made a couple of quick phone calls and then sat at her computer to log in to Petlynx and flag Molly as being lost. Her phone rang almost immediately! It was a woman six blocks away saying she had found Molly.

"I had put the PetLynx ID tag -- which contains the Petlynx website -- on Molly's collar ," explained Glenda. "The lady saw the tag, logged into the site and got my phone number. Needless to say.... Petlynx works!  Molly was only missing about three hours but thanks to Petlynx I have my new dog back."   

Posted by Terri Perrin, Online Communications Editor

PetLynx Hits New Marks for Jan/Feb 2010

During the first 59 days of 2010, PetLynx registered 6,876 new entities of which 3,193 were pets and 3,683 were associates. At the end of February, the PetLynx Automated Recovery System stood at 319,868 registered entities of which 147,695 were pets and 172,173 were associates.

The business plan anticipated a 'many-to-one' ratio of 'associates' to 'animals' when designing the PetLynx model. At the end of February there were 16.5% more associates than animals registered in the PetLynx utility. Since associates are directly related to transactions, either as pet families paying for services or as industry stakeholders providing services, management sees the ability to grow future revenues as being directly related to the number of associates registered in the PetLynx utility.

In July of 2009 the PetLynx V1 rate rose to 94% for the first time. At the end of February, PetLynx had automatically assisted 147,696 recovery episodes and for the first time in history achieved a V1 recovery rate of 100%. The V1 recovery rate is calculated as the cumulative number of recovery episodes divided by the cumulative number of animals registered on the system at the same moment in time.

With the highest V1 rate in the world, PetLynx demonstrates the unique advantage its registration model has. PetLynx animals are registered for their entire lifetime with no additional cost unlike other services where the information chain breaks when fees to change records are refused.

These encouraging metrics provide evidence that PetLynx is the most effective and successful recovery service in the world today.

Posted by Terri Perrin, Online Communications Editor

More HomeSafe Success Stories

Chopsticks, our ten month old Manx cat, was "missing in action" for 13 hours. (I know that's not very long but it was a very cold night and it seemed like forever to us!)  Even though Chopsticks was not missing for long, being able to contact PetLynx was a big comfort to us.  It gave us hope and was something productive to do while we anxiously awaited his return. Thanks again for your great website! I've told everyone about you!

Sue J.

Chilliwack, B.C.

Max is an 18-month old domestic short hair cat. He went missing December 14-28th, after we had let him out. At first, we didn't worry too much, considering that Max is very friendly and has done the occasional sleep over at our neighbors. 

Someone eventually picked him up and took him to their local veterinary clinic and they called the Humane Society. About the same time, I heard about PetLyx and, as soon as I registered him on line, I discovered he was at the shelter. Max is now HomeSafe... and is now has a microchip and always wears a collar with ID!
Bonnie H.

Calgary, AB

Educational Blogs to Encourage Industry Collaboration

Did you know that in addition to this blog, PetLynx hosts three other blogs? Each one focuses on a specific target audience but all provide the latest news and information on developments that affect you in the day-to-day administration of your pet-related business or association.

We encourage you to check out any (or all!) of our blogs, subscribe to those of most interest to you and submit comments. Feel free to link to our blogs on your own site to deliver relevant content to your readers.

We believe that information sharing and industry collaboration are the missing pieces of the puzzle that will ultimately result in healthier communities for pets and people.

By continuously striving to increase pet registrations and add more community service providers, PetLynx™ is fulfilling its mandate to lessen the burden on animal shelters, rescue agencies and municipal agencies across Canada, while helping pets get back home… where they can be healthy, happy and safe.

Here's what PetLynx has to offer you:

HomeSafe™

Good news from people who help lost pets get HomeSafe™!

The HomeSafe™ blog provides pet families and community partners with lost and found pet-related stories of gratitude and inspiration, as well as general information related to lost and found pets, pet safety and how to better utilize the PetLynx utility. 

http://petlynxhomesafe.blogspot.com/

EZBits™

Tips and tools for creating a healthy community for pets and people

The EZBits™ blog is targeted to PetLynx™ Authorized Service Centers (ASCs), brand associates and community partners. In addition to providing tips and tools on how to better utilize the ShelterLynx™ and AnimalTRACS™ utilities, we also post information of general interest to the animal industry. We know you are all busy people, so we post stories with educational value for you to use in planning and program development or to share with your colleagues. http://petlynxezbits.blogspot.com/

Summit for Urban Animal Strategies™

Building healthy communities for pets and people and recognizing those who achieve success

The Summit™ blog is a forum for executive thought leaders to advance the state of the art in Urban Animal Strategies. In addition to providing news and information about upcoming National and Regional Summits, this blog provides insight into the North American Urban Animal Survey and other management-level information.

http://animalsummits.blogspot.com/

InfoStream™

Providing the companion animal industry with proven business services.

The InfoStream™ blog is targeted to our investors, industry partners and executive thought leaders. It provides updates on developments within PetLynx™ Corporation, including performance statistics, new partnerships, and other community collaboration milestones. http://petlynxinfostream.blogspot.com/

Posted by Terri Perrin, Online Communications Editor

Live Video of the Biggest Dog Show in the World!

March 11 - 14 a cavalcade of more than 22,000 canines will strut their stuff in Birmingham, England, during the 120th Annual Cufts Dog Show.

Experience live streaming video of the action at the Crufts Dog Show courtesy of our good friends at Eukanuba!

Posted by Terri Perrin, Online Communications Editor

A Canadian Dog Extravaganza!

THE PURINA NATIONAL
A Canadian Kennel Club Charity Event

• Three championship Dog shows
• Six Obedience Trials
• Three Rally Obedience Trials
• Breeders' Village
• Educational Events
• Over $40,000 in Prize Money!

March 12 - 14, 2010
International Centre
Mississauga, Ontario

Posted by Terri Perrin, Online Communications Editor

The Cats Came Back!

More HomeSafe Success Stories:

I just wanted everyone to know, that if you have lost a pet…. don’t give up and prayer is always a great resource! I had lost my indoor cat, named Paws, for two and a half days. He had never been outside before and he is declawed from a previous owner so, needless to say, I was quite worried about him. But with a lot of prayers and searching, he came home! I had left food out for him on the back deck as well as his litter box. So my Paws is now home safe and very happy to be home!

Shannon B.

Edmonton, AB

I was moving and hadn't gotten settled enough to bring my cats, Milo and Cidney, to my new home. One day, Milo bolted past my ex-wife while she was leaving the house and ran down the street. I emailed a friend of mine a few pictures of Milo and she was kind enough to post lost cat ads on Kijiji, Craig's List, PetLynx, and the SPCA website.

Milo was gone for two weeks before someone saw his picture on Kijiji and contacted me. I rewarded the person for keeping Milo safe. Apparently the young man was learning how to drive with his father and just about hit Milo as he darted in front of the vehicle! When they stopped to check that the cat was okay, Milo jumped into the car!

After I picked Milo up from his rescuers, I made arrangements to pick up Cidney, so they could be together at my new home.  I thanked all my friends for supporting me and not letting me give up hope in finding him.

The End ;)

Portuguese Man O’ War Spoils Game of Fetch for Westie/Poodle Mix

You'll be glad your pet is HomeSafe with you after reading this unusual tale!

Pet owners visiting the beach for a day of fun and sun can anticipate the occasional safety hazard: holes in the sand, sharp pieces of driftwood or jagged shells. Unfortunately, after a recent experience with their two-year-old Westie/poodle mix, Ranger, Brace and Janet Rohrer can add stinging Portuguese man o’ wars to their list!

“My wife had taken Ranger to the beach that day and was playing fetch with him,” recalled Brace Rohrer of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. “Ranger ran out to get the ball, but a man o’ war” – a venomous invertebrate similar to a jellyfish – “was lying next to it. Ranger pounced on the man o’ war instead of the ball and got stung on his right front paw.”

At his veterinarian’s office, Ranger received a dose of anti-inflammatory medication, an antihistamine, and a shot of pain reliever. He was one lucky dog! Aside from being extremely painful, a Portuguese man o’ war’s sting can cause fever, shock, circulatory and respiratory distress.

Rohrer’s claim for Ranger’s man o’ war incident was one of more than 80,000 claims received in the month of February by Veterinary Pet Insurance Co. (VPI), the nation’s oldest and largest provider of pet health insurance. Rohrer’s claim was considered along with other uncommon medical claims submitted in February and selected by VPI as the most unusual of the bunch.

As the most unusual claim submitted in February, Rohrer’s claim will be placed in the running for the 2010 VPI Hambone Awards. Each month, VPI employees nominate the most interesting claim submitted and in August 2010 the company will ask the public to vote for the most unusual claim of the year.

The VPI Hambone Award is named in honor of a VPI-insured dog that got stuck in a refrigerator and ate an entire Thanksgiving ham while waiting for someone to find him. The dog was eventually found, with a licked-clean hambone and a mild case of hypothermia.

Posted by Terri Perrin, Online Communications Editor

PetSecure Helps Pet

PetSecure pet health insurance was happy to deliver some great news to Romelda Morson, an active volunteer in her Toronto community and pet parent of two dogs - Impulse and Fynnegan. The company paid for Impulse's $2,500.00 ligament surgery after she was attacked by a stray dog and her former pet health insurance company denied the claim.

Prior to the attack, Romelda faced a hydro explosion in her apartment and was forced to leave her home with nothing but the clothes on her back, cell phone and pets in hand. After this disaster, she formed a tenants' association to ensure everyone living in her building would be treated equally and fairly.

"As pet parents ourselves, we are proud to give back by providing resources and support to the pet community across Canada," says Randy Valpy, President & CEO of PetSecure. "When we heard what Romelda had been through, we wanted to help; our goal as a company is to ensure that pets across Canada enjoy longer, fuller and healthier lives, even if that means helping one pet parent at a time!"

"Things like this don't happen often in our society, let alone happen to me," Romelda stated after Petsecure told her the good news. "Petsecure has reinstated my faith in insurance companies and I'm truly grateful for their generosity and willingness to support Impulse. This has made a huge difference in our lives and has taken away a burden of not knowing how we would take care of this payment."

Petsecure wants all of their members to feel secure knowing that in their time of need, and when they really need that extra help, they can rest assured that they will be taken care of.

Posted by Terri Perrin, Online Communications Editor

Dog Survives 90-Metre Fall

According to a recent story on CBC Television, a Springer Spaniel learned the hard way that dog's can't fly! The happy-go-lucky dog, named Poppy, chased a seagull off a cliff and plunged 90-metres down into the sea.

The incident happened on February 14 at the Seven Sisters cliffs in East Sussex in southeastern England while the dog was out for a walk with her owner's sister and a friend

Rescuers said there was just enough water to cushion the dog's fall. Apart from being in shock and having a partially collapsed lung the dog was in good shape. Paul Legendre of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution search and rescue service said the pair sought help after they went to the edge of the cliff and saw Poppy swim to shore.

Volunteer lifeboat crew member Gavin Butcher was part of the crew that rescued the spaniel from the beach underneath the cliff. ''She was cold and nervous, but apart from that, was as good as gold," Butcher told the Telegraph.

Posted by Terri Perrin, Online Communications Editor