Mesilla Valley animal services director loses pet, reunited thanks to microchip

This Fourth of July, the Animal Services Center of the Mesilla Valley is asking pet owners to keep their animals safe, by getting them micro-chipped.

Dr. Beth Vesco-Mock, the center’s director, found herself desperately looking for her family dog, Adobe, who jumped her family’s 6-foot fence last week.

“I’m supposed to be the best animal owner in the community and I felt I failed,” Vesco-Mock said, “How can I really go out in public and say I lost my own dog?”

Vesco-Mock was able to find Adobe thanks to the power of social media. “Someone saw him and knew that someone else had found him and was able to connect us and we were able to get him back,” she said.

Her experience drives home the point about how easy it is for animals to wander off. That’s why the center is holding micro-chipping clinics for the next two weekends.

“Once an animal is chipped, it’s registered for years and can be reunited with its family if it gets lost,” Vesco-Mock said.

With 4th of July weekend coming up, Vesco-Mock said it’s even more important pet owners need get their pets taken care of. “One year we had 21 animals returned to their owners July 5th. That’s how many came in with (a microchip) and we were able to get them back right off the bat.”

The service – which takes only moments – will cost $10.

“I don’t care who you are or how much you love your animal, I don’t care how well-behaved your animal is if they see a squirrel, they’re going go after that squirrel,” Vesco-Mock said.

For more information on the chipping and registering services, you can contact the Animal Services Center of the Mesilla Valley at (575) 382-0018.