The city of Wichita’s Animal Services department is offering residents a series of free microchip clinics throughout February. Free Microchip Mondays are being held from 8-10 a.m. each Monday in February at 3303 N. Hillside.
This service will be first come, first served to 50 pets each Monday. All pets must be on a leash or in a carrier and be able to reasonably tolerate routine handling and needles without anesthesia. An owner’s photo ID, address, phone number and email are required to receive a free microchip.
WAS has also installed a new microchip scanning station outside of its facility to allow residents to scan stray animals for a microchip 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Each year, more than 7,000 pets are left at WAS because they could not be reunited with their owner. Unlike collars or tags, a microchip provides lifelong, permanent identification for pets. When scanned, the microchip displays a unique number that links directly to the owner’s contact information. Owners can update their contact information through the microchip software online as needed.
“Many lost pets are just a few blocks from home,” said Wichita Animal Services Manager Emily Hurst. “When a found pet is scanned, owners can often be contacted within minutes. This prevents unnecessary shelter stays and reduces stress for both pets and families.”
Owners may also get a microchip from WAS during regular shelter hours for $15. Most private veterinarians also offer microchipping.
To help reunite more animals with their owners, Wichita Animal Services continues to encourage all pet owners to:
- Microchip all pets;
- Keep microchip contact information up-to-date;
- Use the public scanning station or go to a local vet’s office to scan lost pets.
