Maricopa County Animal Care & Control (MCACC) is currently offering free microchips at both of its shelters through the end of the year in hopes of keeping more dogs with their owners.
Nearly 13,000 animals have arrived at MCACC so far this year; the majority of those dogs were strays. MCACC believes microchipping pets is one of the easiest ways to prevent shelter overcrowding.
“We have been functioning with 900-plus dogs for several weeks now, and simply put, we’re out of kennels," said Kim Powell, MCACC’s communications supervisor. "The majority of the stray dogs that come into the shelter don’t have a microchip or any other form of identification, which makes it hard for them to be returned to their owner, therefore, they stay at the shelter and contribute to the capacity issue.”
Microchips are typically implanted under the skin in between the shoulder blades. Once they're scanned, contact information for the owner will appear, making a happy reunion more likely.
To help pet owners avoid the heartbreaking nightmare of searching for a missing pet, MCACC is aiming to microchip 1,000 pets by the end of the year. Free microchips are now being offered at the East and West shelters from noon to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. The East Shelter is located at 2630 W. Rio Salado Parkway in Mesa and the West Shelter is located at 2500 S. 27th Ave. in Phoenix.
They ask that pet owners wanting to come in for a microchip register online first.
With a microchip, if your dog is ever lost and picked up by a Maricopa County Animal Control Officer, they can get a free ride home that day. If they are unable to reach you at your address, the dog will be held at the shelter for a minimum of five days, giving you more time to reunite with your dog.
