Now one of our major concerns in the last few months has been the possibility of losing her. After all, for over seven months we were out of our home, first evacuated to Austin, then living in the church hall, and finally the apartment several miles from our house. We wondered what would happen if she got away, and how we would ever recover her.

That is where the idea of microchipping pets enters the picture. Microchips can't be lost and don't fade or become defaced. And at the Home Again Web Site, you get a great service to help you recover your pet should it become lost. For an annual subscription fee, HomeAgain members have telephone access to pet-recovery specialists and 24/7 emergency medical assistance at 1-888-HomeAgain. The program also includes up to $3,000 (less a $50 deductible) in medical pet insurance for lost pets and up to $500 in reimbursable travel expenses for pets found more than 500 miles from home.

And if you subscibe to their service, HomeAgain will make a donation to help shelter animals through a fundraising Web site specifically created to help shelter animals