PHOENIX, AZ – Maricopa County Animal Care & Control (MCACC) will be offering free microchips at both shelter locations 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 stray. MCACC believes microchipping pets is one of the easiest ways to prevent shelter overcrowding.
“We have been functioning with 900+ 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 will be offered Monday-Friday from 12-4pm at the East and West shelters beginning October 16th.
We ask that pet owners wanting to come in for a microchip register online first.
Event Details:
- Free microchips for dogs
- October 16th, 2023 to December 29th, 2023
- Monday through Friday, 12pm-4pm
- Register online here
Free microchips will be available at both shelter locations:
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 we are unable to reach you at your address, the dog will be held at the shelter for a minimum of 5 days, giving you more time to reunite with your dog.