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HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL
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KNI Ciary Harmon
Sara Harmon Bacchus, center, received her Associate’s Degree in Nursing from Middle
Georgia College May 9. She is employed in the Neonatal Unit, Medical Center of Central
Georgia, and is the daughter of Gary Harmon of Perry and Brenda Harmon of Macon.
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Perry High senior wins art scholarship
Perry High School senior, Allison Elisabeth Tucker, shown here with her art
teacher, Catherine Heller, recently won a SI,OOO scholarship from the Warner
Robins Art Association (WRAA). Each year the WRAA sponsors an art contest for
Houston County students. Heller commented, “Allison plans to attend Georgia
Southern in the fall. Her career goal is to work with magazines where she can
be involved in both fashion and the design aspect. Allison’s specialty is drawing
people in black and white media, but she is very proficient in many techniques.”
About microchipping your pet
1 :
Paws for Pets
Brian Burnham
DVM
Every
year, thou
sands
of fam
ily owned
pets are
euthanized
because
they lack
the proper
identifica
tion to be
reunited
with their
families. Microchipping is a
foolproof way to make sure
you pet is carrying proper
identification should he ever
get lost. Microchipping is
safe and can be easily done
at most veterinary hospitals.
This article will focus on
answering common ques
tions about microchipping.
What is a microchip?
A microchip is a tiny tran
sponder, about the size of a
grain of rice, that is encoded
with a unique identifica
tion number. It is used for
permanent identification.
The technology is relatively
recent but is becoming wide
ly available.
How is the microchip
put into my dog?
Before insertion, the ster
ile microchip is scanned in
the package to confirm that
the identification code of the
transponder is the same as
that shown on the package
bar code label.
The needle contain
ing the microchip is loaded
into the application gun or
syringe, and the pet is posi
tioned for the injection. For
dogs and cats, the standard
site for the microchip place
ment is in the subcutaneous
tissue along the dorsal mid
line (the spine) between the
pets shoulder blades. For
correct placement, the pet
should be either standing or
lying on the stomach. Some
of the loose skin between
the shoulder blades is gently
pulled up, and the needle is
quickly inserted. The appli-
cation trigger is depressed,
injecting the transponder or
microchip into the tissues.
Once the chip is insert
ed, the pet is scanned to
ensure that the chip is read
ing properly and the identi
fication number is checked.
It is now a permanent and
tamper-proof method that
cannot be lost.
Does it hurt to insert
the chip?
The procedure is fast, safe,
and appears to be relatively
pain-free in most pets. The
chips are usually inserted
without incident, even in
the tiniest kittens and pup
pies. The application needle
is quite large, and some cli
ents will choose to have the
microchip implanted at the
time of sterilization, so that
the pet can be anesthetized
for the injection. However,
this is not necessary, and the
microchip can be implanted
at any time that is conve
nient.
Is there anything I have
to do?
Once your pet is micro
chipped, you must register
him or her with the appro
priate agency. Your veteri
narian will provide you with
the relevant documents and
contact information and
will tell you if any fees are
required. Failure to register
your pet’s microchip identifi
cation will render the entire
process useless. If you move
or change your contact infor
mation, be sure to update
your pet’s microchip infor
mation. If your pet is lost
and recovered, this informa
tion will be used to reunite
you with your pet
How is the microchip
detected?
The microchip can be
‘read’ with a microchip scan
ner, which detects the specif
ic electronic code embedded
in the chip, and displays the
identification number on the
scanner’s screen.
Since the occasional micro
chip may migrate, or move
out of position, the micro
chip reader will be passed
over the entire body of the
pet in order to ensure that
the chip will be detected if
present.
Most, if not all,
humane societies and animal
shelters now have microchip
readers, and routinely scan
all stray and injured ani
mals. Steps are being taken
to standardize the readers
and develop databases that
can be readily accessed.
My dog always wears a
collar with identification
tags. Isn’t this enough?
Unfortunately, collars and
tags can break, be lost or
be removed. When the tags
are new, they are easy to
read. However, as they get
old and worn, it can become
challenging to make out all
the information that is on
them.
My dog has a tattoo
already. Why should I
microchip him?
Unfortunately, tattoos can
be difficult to read. They
are commonly placed in the
flank area, where they can
be obscured by hair. Even
when they are in the ears,
they can become faded over
time. They can also be read
ily altered. Even when they
are readable, the informa
tion about the pet and its
owner can be difficult to
obtain.
Remember that micro
chips cannot be easily mis
read, and the identification
number is tamper-proof.
The information about the
pet and owner is usually
readily retrievable based on
the identification number.
If you have further ques
tions about whether or not
microchipping is the right
choice for your pet, please
ask your veterinarian or vet
erinary technician.
I am grateful to so many
An email arrived one day
from a dear, old friend who
was once my boss when he
was managing editor of a
daily newspaper where I
worked’ during college and
which was later my first full
time job.
To him and to many, I owe
much. The only great debts
I have and the only ones
I will never, even through
the grace of God, be able
to repay. It was an email
that he had sent to many to
notify us that the executive
editor of the paper all those
years ago had been moved
to a nursing home. Perhaps,
he suggested, if the spirit
moves you, you might send
him a card.
I was happy to oblige and
set about the task. It is
not only important, it is a
responsibility to give back to
those who gave to us first, to
say “Thank you” when the
opportunity arises.
Writing that note, I
thought back to that news
room where - in the days
before Internet connec
tions - there was a tele
type machine from the AP
and UPI wire services that
would set off a bell when an
urgent story was coming in.
We’d hear the bell and rush
over to see what had hap
pened. If the story was big
enough and the presses were
already printing the paper,
someone would rush to the
basement, strong with the
smell of heavy ink, and yell,
“Stop the presses!” It was an
adrenaline rush and one rea
son that once newspaper ink
CaflGi
May is Foster Care Month
With over 15,000 childrena nd youth in foster care in Georgia, the Department of Family
and Children Services plays a vital role in assisting children toward a successful adult
hood, as well as helping families heal following crises. There is a great need for more
foster families. In an effort to make the public aware of this important service, Mayor
Jim Worrall of Perry, right, has proclaimed May “Foster Care Month.” Worrall is shown
here with Houston County DFACS Foster Care Resource Development specialists Avis
Houpe and Cheri Rape, and DFACS Foster Care Supervisor Heidi Stollenwerck.
Read Ronda Rich
Every Saturday in the
Houston Home Journal
/t*EORGI4 BOUfyjfLC
Presents # /
SATURDAY, MAY 17th
' |lf / MACON, GA
ReleNtlesS . -
Charles Wilson
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mixes with your blood, you
can never cleanse yourself
purely of it.
Fortunate was I as a young
girl to be
blessed
in that
newsroom
with men
tors who
touched
my life for
a moment
but whose
lessons
carried
forth
mi ■ ■ m
ig
Ronda Rich
Columnist
through the following sea
sons of my life. There were
a couple of gentle, gracious
gentlemen, one woman
whose eyes sparkled con
stantly and whose smile was
contagious and one cantan
kerous, crusty, cynical sports
editor, my immediate boss,
who, I quite simply adored.
I’ve always loved a good
mixture of salt and sugar.
They were all great sto
rytellers. They could see
stories where no one else
saw them, tell them in spell
binding language then pen
them to paper in equally
strong ways. That was back
in the days when newspaper
writing was an art and they
all, in turn, were great art
ists. The crusty one was my
favorite. His stories capti
vated me. He’d jitter around
quickly always, fueled no
doubt by the endless cups
of coffee he drank. I can see
him now - standing at the
old, gray metal desk, hand
on one hip, taking a deep
drag on a cigarette and as
r if if l.;
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he blew the smoke through
his lips, something would
remind him of a story and
he would release it from his
thoughts in a mesmerizing
way.
On paper, his words and
images were equally as
strong. If I could write like
him, I’d win a Pulitzer.
You never forget people
like those. At least I don’t.
No one, I have come to learn,
is self-made. We are all made
through the efforts of oth
ers. The ones who raise us,
the teachers who teach us,
the preachers who pray for
us, the ones who believe
in us and the enemies who
scorn us.
For I am as grateful to the
evil ones who have battled
with dark forces against me
as I am for the good ones
who cast abundant light on
my paths. The good ones
have been my encourage
ment and the evil ones have
been my inspiration. Both
have driven me with great
passion and purpose toward
reaching success. A way of
paying back them all back,
you know. The mean ones
have been just as important
to me as the nice ones.
To all of you, I owe my
deepest gratitude. Whatever
I am, you have made pos
sible.
Thank you.
Ronda Rich is a
best-selling Southern author.
Sign up for her newsletter at
www.rondarich.com.
Come see us at tfie
(perry ‘Farmers 'Market!!!
Lewis Farms Nursery
Hwy. 26 East - Elko, GA
(478)954-1507
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