A pet owner’s worst nightmare may be their pet getting lost, stuck in a cage at a far-away pound. In Clarke County, there’s now another solution when a lost pet gets found that will help more animals avoid the shelter.
On a warm fall afternoon, the Athens-Clarke County Animal Services shelter is filled with dogs, cats, and other animals waiting to find their next homes. However, some of the shelter guests may already have a home but just got lost on their way back.
Athens-Clarke County Animal Services impounds around 3,400 animals a year. Out of those animals, roughly 50% to 55% are considered those with no owners. The county has now installed three microchip scanning stations to help the other half of animals found in the community—those that have homes but have gotten lost.
The stations help community members reunite with their pets—but they also help the animal shelter reduce stress on its services.
“We don't get burdened with extra animals that we don't need that have owners and maybe just, you know, the owner, the dog got away from the owner, you know, absentmindedly,” said Barber
That’s Kristall Barber, the director of Athens-Clark County Animal Services. She says these stations are here to help the community when people find lost microchipped animals.
“So hopefully, like at, you know, two in the morning when you find a dog wandering around your neighborhood, you can take it to a scanning station,” said Barber.
There are three microchip stations in Athens-Clarke County, located at the Animal Services shelter, the dog park at Memorial Park, and Southeast Clarke Park’s Wiggley Field dog park. All are available for the public to use.
To see if an animal has been microchipped, users will need to use the scanner—a black, plastic handheld device about the size of a smartphone--along the pet’s body. If a chip is detected, it will display a nine-to-15-digit number. Then, users can use their cellphone to scan the QR code on the sign and enter the numbers. This will pull up a registry that will have the owner’s information.
Barber says it’s vital that pet owners not only get their four-legged companions chipped, but also to make sure that they have updated their information, like their address.
Staying out of the shelter doesn’t just help the pet avoid stress—it can protect it from more serious issues.
“And, you know, we have lots of stray dogs and cats that have a million things going on with them. So, if your pet's not protected when it comes in, there's a chance that your pet might get something when it's here.”
If pet owners are concerned about their four-legged companion getting lost, ACC Animal Services provides services in October to help.
“So, this month we're continuing our microchip day. It was Monday. Now it's Sunday from 12 to 3,” said Barber. “So, you can come in and get a free microchip.”
A volunteer coordinator at Athens-Clarke County Animal Services is available to answer questions.
