New microchip scanning station to help reunite lost pets with owners

Health

Apr 3

The Kent County Animal Shelter (KCAS) has launched Michigan’s first 24-hour microchip scanning station to assist Northern Kent County residents in reuniting with their lost pets. The station is one of only several in the nation. The scanner is located outside the Kent County North Campus at 4191 17 Mile Road in Cedar Springs.

The site was chosen to alleviate transportation challenges faced by Northern Kent County residents when retrieving their pets from shelters.

"Transportation to the shelter or time off work are often reasons owners are unable to come for their pets,” said Angela Hollinshead, Director, Kent County Animal Shelter. "The ability for the community in the northern part of the county to use 24-hour microchip identification for reuniting pets before they are taken to the shelter will assist us in keeping families and pets together."

Housed in a weatherproof, secure casing, the scanning station has written instructions available on the wall in both English and Spanish.

This initiative is part of KCAS's broader objective to improve the reclaim rate for lost dogs by their owners. Despite a nearly 200% increase in stray dogs entering the shelter since 2019, there has been a noticeable decline in the number of owners coming to get their animals from the shelter. This has resulted in the shelter being near or at capacity for the last several months. The KCAS has adopted new technology such as QR code dog licenses in 2022, and now the implementation of microchip scanners, to address this issue.

"The animal shelter is responsible for the care and housing of stray animals across all 847 square miles of Kent County," Hollinshead said. "With such a large geographical coverage area, this creates barriers for owners to get their pets back if they end up at shelter."

The KCAS has further bolstered its efforts by providing twenty pet microchip scanners to law enforcement agencies across Kent County.

To learn more, visit https://www.accesskent.com/KCAS.