TOLEDO, Ohio — Shari Henning said she doesn't remember a time when pets were not a part of her life.
"We've had three shelties, a German shepherd a bullmastiff and a full-sized collie we just lost. She was almost 13," Henning said.
Their most recent dog died of old age, so the Henning family decided to get a new dog, name Abby, a miniature collie in honor of the collie they recently lost.
Miniature collies are also known as Shetland sheepdogs, or shelties for short.
They decided to put a microchip in their new pooch because of the predators in their neighborhood, like a hawk in their yard, Henning said.
Toledo Humane Society shelter manager Erica Cook said the chips can help bring pets home safely.
"It is a small little chip that goes right in the back of the animal and it's in case they ever get lost, or they run out of the yard," Cook said. "They can go anywhere in the area. Any vet clinic can scan them and that identification in the back has a unique number that is then registered to you."
Henning said she feels like she has done her part in protecting her dog, but she said it also takes a caring community. She said the chip makes her feel more comfortable having a pet.
The Humane Society said this was the first, but not the last, microchip clinic.
Although they had a very successful day chipping dogs, they have many more chips left over for the next event. They hope to have the next clinic at the start of the new year.