A dog that had been missing for several months was reunited with its owner after a Good Samaritan found the animal roaming Hollister in an unhealthy condition, authorities said.
On Nov. 23, Hollister Police Animal Care and Services received a report of an emaciated, gray and white female pit bull type dog in the area of Shore Road. A passerby was able to contain the animal and contact the city’s animal control officer, Hollister Police said.
Animal care authorities stabilized the animal over the Thanksgiving holiday and transported the dog to a veterinarian for treatment, police said.
Animal control officers attempted to locate the dog’s owner by canvassing the area where it was found and reviewing surveillance video footage from neighboring businesses. The officers also conducted interviews with numerous people during the investigation, police said.
Authorities were able to identify and contact the dog’s owner after a Facebook post about the animal received hundreds of views and shares, according to police.
The investigation also found that the dog’s owner had been searching for their pet for several months, Hollister Police said. The dog had managed to escape the property where it was being housed. Despite the owner’s efforts to find the animal, their search had been unsuccessful.
The dog has now been reunited with its owner, and is on a treatment plan prescribed by the treating veterinarian, police said.
The city’s Animal Care and Services personnel reminded the public that placing a collar and tag on your pet, with current contact information, is helpful in reuniting lost animals with their owners. A microchip—implanted under the animal’s skin—is another way to identify a lost pet and reunite it with its owner as soon as possible.
The Hollister Animal Shelter offers pet microchipping services during business hours. For more information, call 831.636.4320.
