Chip Your Pet Month: Microchipping Services and Community Engagement for Lost Pet Reunification

If your pet ever goes missing, collars with identification tags provide a quick way for the finder to contact you and reunite you with your pet. But what if their collar comes off or their ID tags aren’t up to date? A microchip serves as a reliable, tamper-proof form of identification. 

Chip Your Pet Month is celebrated every May to promote microchipping. Pets equipped with microchips containing updated registration details can be quickly reunited with their families, regardless of how much time has passed or the distance traveled, as exemplified by Teddy Bear’s heartwarming story. This annual event also serves as a gentle reminder to regularly update contact information linked to your pet’s microchip, ensuring you can be reached if your pet goes missing. 

What is a Microchip, and What is it Not?

A microchip is an electronic chip, about the size of a grain of rice, that is injected like a vaccine under a pet’s skin using a hypodermic needle. The microchip is activated by a scanner, which then transmits an identification number. It’s important to note that a microchip is not a GPS tracker. It doesn’t pinpoint the pet’s location when lost. Instead, when the pet is found, they should be brought to a veterinary clinic, animal shelter or rescue, police department, or PetSmart store to be scanned for a microchip. 

If the microchip is registered, the finder will be able to contact the microchip manufacturer, who will then reach out to the pet’s registered owner.  

Local Microchipping Services

The Humane Society for Tacoma & Pierce County offers pet microchips for income-qualified residents for $25, which includes national registration. No appointment is necessary. The implantation takes only a minute and can be done anytime during the shelter’s business hours.  

Income-qualifying community members can also benefit from the shelter’s affordable microchipping service, available during Vaccine and Wellness Clinics. These clinics typically take place on the fourth Saturday of each month.  

Learn more about the shelter’s microchipping services.  

Tips to Reunite Lost Pets

When we see a dog or cat running loose, instinctually, we may assume they’re lost and take them to a safe place, like our shelter. However, in many cases, that may not be in the pet’s best interest. Local and national data show that many stray dogs are picked up very close to their homes and taking them away from that area can decrease their chances of getting back to their families. 

The following steps will help you reunite the pet with their family: 

• Walk the animal around the area: Most pets don’t wander far from home! If it’s a dog, walk it around the area. Alert neighbors and ask if they know where the pet belongs. 
• Check for tags and microchips: If the pet has tags, call their owners to set up a reunion. If the pet does not have a tag, take them to a local vet clinic, pet store, or shelter to have them scanned for a microchip. 
• Spread the word: Check and post on social media networks and websites like Nextdoor, local Facebook groups (Lost and Found Pets of Pierce County and Tacoma Lost and Found Pets), Ring communities, PawBoost, Petco Love Lost, and Craigslist for lost pet listings.  
• File a found pet report: File a found pet report by calling our shelter and giving our staff a description of the pet. You can also call local vet clinics with a description.  
• Hold on to the pet: If you can, temporarily hold on to the pet. The pet will have an easier time getting them back if they stay in the neighborhood they were found.  
• Schedule and appointment: Schedule an appointment to bring the lost pet to the Humane Society for Tacoma & Pierce County.  

As one of the few open admission shelters in Washington state, we welcome animals regardless of their age, breed, medical conditions, or behavioral needs. Being the largest intake shelter in the state, the moment one animal is adopted, their spot is quickly filled by another furry friend in need. 

Our appointment-based intake system empowers the community to play an active role in giving pets a second chance. Community members can schedule appointments to bring in found pets, minimizing the number of animals entering the shelter and maximizing opportunities for reunification with their owners. This approach, aligned with national sheltering standards, offers several benefits: 

• Reduces stress for both people and lost animals. 
• Enables better preparation and management of shelter resources. 
• Increases our capacity to serve more pets and people effectively. 
• Helps us respond promptly to critical situations and emergencies. 
• Controls the spread of disease within the shelter environment. 

This system thrives with our community’s support. Holding onto a lost pet and actively seeking its owner greatly increases the likelihood of a happy reunion. 

Learn more about Lost & Found Pets best practices.