SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) - A dog is back with the South Dakota family who raised him thanks to the people who recently adopted him at the Sioux Falls Humane Society.
Janeen Rang and her husband raised 5-year-old Jake, a yellow Labrador mix, who went missing from their Turner County farm on Feb. 2. Jake wasn’t microchipped, the Argus Leader (https://argusne.ws/2kC8M5w ) reported.
The Humane Society held the dog for a week before putting him up for adoption. He was adopted on Feb. 8 by another family.
But when Jake’s adoptive family saw that the Rangs put out a plea to the Humane Society to consider returning the dog to his original home, the family gave him back, according to the shelter’s director, Kori Baade.
“I think the family got really lucky that the adoptive family was so heartful,” Baade said. “It turned out well.”
Baade said the Humane Society followed city ordinance for strays, and that Jake’s adoption through the shelter was legal. He said the agency received dozens of threatening phone calls about the dog.
Rang said there’s no animosity toward the shelter. She said she’s grateful the agency did its job.
“If they hadn’t taken him, who knows what could’ve happened to him,” she said. “He could have been hit (by a car). Who knows. They did their job and we’re so grateful. It was just an unfortunate circumstance.”
While Baade said she’s happy Jake is back with his family, she hopes to turn the publicity more positive in the future.
“Every Valentine’s Day from now on, we want to do an event called ’Love Your Pet’ to talk about making sure everyone’s pets are microchipped,” she said.
The Rangs brought Jake back home Wednesday. The family said they hope the incident with Jake is a lesson to other pet owners to get their animals properly ID’d.
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Information from: Argus Leader, https://www.argusleader.com
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