While most cars went right past the white German Shepherds, Matt McLaughlin was on his way home from work and couldn't pass the pooches by.
"Either I could go past them or do something. I decided I had the obligation to help them out," McLaughlin said.
Matt is one of the helpers seen stopping to lend a hand.
Another helper, Kim Wolf, was on her way home.
She just happens to work for the SPCA.
Helping animals is part of her job, and on Thursday, those instincts kicked in.
"They were friendly, beautiful dogs. I'm so glad we could help them because clearly they had been loved by somebody," Wolf said.
"Me and Kim and some other nice people all worked together to make sure they stayed out of the road," McLaughlin said.
The dogs' owners were so relieved to know that in the midst of a traffic jam, a few people went out of their way and kept their three precious pups safe.
"I just want to thank everyone that helped save my animals because the gate had broken and they got out," the owner said.
Kim says they see a lot of dogs at animal control without a collar or tags.
The identification speeds up the process of reuniting an owner with their pet and it provides the owner with piece of mind.
"The best thing is to have them microchipped. That way, if the tags fall off or they slip out of their collar, you always have the chip. You can scan and that's how we unite people with their owners," Wolf said.
For now, the owners of the three dogs are just thrilled to have their pets back where they belong.
"They're going to get a shower, they're going to see their vet again, and then they're going home and getting a steak dinner," the owner said.
If people have questions about lost pets and dog liscenses/tags, they can visit the Animal Care and Control Team's (ACCT) website at: http://www.pspca.org/acct/services. The phone # for ACCT is (267) 385-3800 and their email is ACCT@pspca.org.
If people have questions about low-cost spay/neuter services or low-cost microchipping, they can visit the Pennsylvania SPCA's website at : http://www.pspca.org/services/hospital. The phone # is (215) 426-6300. We also have an FAQ section at: http://www.pspca.org/faqs?faq_section_id=5/
- Talking points on dog licensing in Philadelphia:
- Philadelphia and Pennsylvania both require dogs four months of age and older to be licensed.
- Your dog's tag is his ticket home if he is lost, stolen or separated from you during an emergency. Licensed dogs picked up by animal control are held for at least five days while efforts are made to contact you. Unlicensed dogs are only required to be held at the shelter for 48 hours.
- Dog records help keep you safe from exposure to sick or infected dogs, especially in cases of possible exposure to rabies.
- Licenses help ensure the health and safety of your dog at Philadelphia's dog runs and city parks.
- Discounted license fees for altered dogs promote spaying and neutering, which helps control pet overpopulation and reduces the number of stray dogs roaming the streets.
- The fee you pay to license your dog funds Philadelphia's humane law enforcement, animal care and control, and lifesaving programs, which makes the city a better place to live for you AND your pet.
-
Talking points on spaying/neutering:
- The Pennsylvania SPCA offers low-cost spay and neuter services.
- All pets must weigh at least 2 pounds and be up to date on all shots. The most recent shots must be administered at least 3 weeks prior to the procedure.
- The cost for the procedures are:
Male Cat: $40*
Female Cat: $50
Male Dog: $65*
Female Dog: $85 - By spaying and neutering your pets, you are helping to control the pet population!
- Having a litter will not improve your pet's health or personality, and she might be extra tired or irritable when nursing. The sooner your pet is spayed, the better her future health will be. Spaying your pet reduces her chances of developing certain cancers and tumors that often affect females who are not spayed.
- Altering your pet will not make it fat. Altered pets require fewer calories, so help maintain a healthy weight by feeding them less and exercising them more.
- Talking points on microchipping:
- A microchip is a small radio transponder (the size of a grain of rice) that is inserted under your pet's skin between the shoulder blades in a relatively painless procedure.
- Every microchip is encoded with a number unique to your pet and that number is logged into a database with your contact information.
- If you pet becomes lost, any shelter or veterinary office can use a scanner to quickly identify your pet by its microchip. Thousands of petowners are reunited with their pets every year thanks to microchips.
- A microchip is permanent, so the chip cannot be altered, removed, or damaged.
- The Pennsylvania SPCA offers microchips for $15.
Get Action News on your website