Husky reunion, but why MCSD and Animal Control?

The Northwest Herald and the Chicago Tribune reported on the reunion of a Siberian Husky and its Georgia owner. But why did the husky rescue business get the McHenry County Sheriff's Department and McHenry County Animal Control involved?

A lot of people around here can't get Animal Control's attention for barking dogs, loose dogs and dangerous dogs. And the Sheriff's Department will tell you to call Animal Control, if your problem has to do with animals.

Just looking for good press?

The dog was lost or stolen in December 2007, according to its Chatsworth, Ga. owner. It was in a Georgia animal shelter and scheduled to be euthanized (that's the P.C. word for "killed"). Then Free Spirit Siberian Rescue offered to take it, and the dog reached Harvard on August 11. The dog was put up for adoption. When it was scanned for a pet chip, one was found.

The Georgia owner was contacted and drove to McHenry County to pick up the dog today.

Sure, the easy question is why the Georgia group didn't check for a chip. But why didn't Free Spirit check for a chip sooner? Did they pick up the dog? They could have scanned it there. Or they could have scanned it in Harvard. Or they could have asked the Georgia shelter to scan it before accepting it.

The Northwest Herald article reported that Free Spirit expected the owner to pay the adoption fee. That struck me the wrong way. However, Free Spirit undoubtedly incurred costs and ought to expect the owner to pay those. There's nothing wrong with that; I just wouldn't call those costs an "adoption fee".

And maybe the owner ought to be asking the Murray County, Georgia shelter why it didn't scan her dog in almost five years!