Minneapolis launches new website to reunite lost pets with owners
"If you license your dog, then we can make that connection much more quickly between your lost dog and you because you'll have a license."
Minneapolis city officials made a renewed pitch to pet owners Monday to get their animals licensed.
City council member -- and dog owner -- Lisa Goodman said the city's shelter has made it easier to reunite lost pets with their owners now that they've revamped their website with a new section where owners can search photos of pets found by department agents. However, she said pet licenses also make it easy for animal control agents to contact owners of lost animals.
"If you license your dog, then we can make that connection much more quickly between your lost dog and you because you'll have a license," she said. "We'll have a record of your dog. We can call you. And we can even give your dog a ride home."
The city's animal care and control office takes in nearly 4,000 animals a year. Officials say last year, more than 90 percent of all adoptable pets were either returned to their owners, adopted or sent to other rescue groups.
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The new section of the department's website, designed to help reunite lost pets with their owners, includes photographs and descriptions of recovered pets.
Its first test came just last week.
"One of the cool things we have is a success story, with regard to a dog named Tucker," said Jeanette Wiedemeier Bower of Minneapolis Animal Care and Control. "Tucker came to our shelter last Wednesday. Wednesday was when the web site went live. At 1:00 in the afternoon he was brought to us. And by 3:15 Tucker was home with his owner." The city of Minneapolis requires licenses for pet dogs, cats, ferrets and rabbits.
Editor's note (Aug. 20, 2013): An earlier version of this story was unclear on the number of animals that the city's care and control office returns to owners, adopts or sends to rescue groups. The story has been updated.
