By Suzie Ziegler
SUFFOLK COUNTY, N.Y. — A new tool aims to help distraught pet owners reunite with their furry loved ones. On Tuesday, the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office launched a centralized database called the Lost Pet Network to help citizens find their missing pets, People.com reported.
Sheriff Errol Toulon says he wants to protect all the county’s citizens.
“As Suffolk County Sheriff, my priority is keeping residents safe, and that extends to the four-legged members of our communities,” Toulon told People.com. “I look forward to embarking on this new program that will hopefully return more dogs and cats back to their loving families.”
With the Lost Pet Network, residents can enroll their pets in a database and receive a printable pet identification card. If their pet goes missing, the sheriff’s office will send an alert with the pet’s info to deputies, other local law enforcement and animal shelters, according to the report. The pet’s info will also be shared on social media.
Toulon hopes this centralized method for finding pets will expand to other cities and become a national model, he told People.com.
According to American Humane, about 10 million pets are lost every year in the United States. Only about 15% of dogs and 2% of cats without a microchip or ID tag are reunited with their owners.