HALL COUNTY, Ga. — The Hall County Animal Shelter and Laurel Park Dog Park now have a new tool for pet owners and lost pets to get reunited.
Hall County Animal Services announced that public microchip scanning stations had been installed at the shelter and dog park to help get families find lost pets faster, even if they don’t live in Hall County.
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“We frequently find lost animals that already have microchips. Some animals are Hall County residents, while others have crossed state lines,” Hall County Animal Shelter Manager Stephanie Maloch said. “These stations will provide a direct way for people who find a lost pet to identify its owner and help get the animal home, which is also why it’s so important to ensure the contact information linked to your pet’s microchip is up to date, and that the chip is still active and working.”
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Each scanning station has a universal microchip scanner that checks all major brands and databases, officials said.
The scanning stations also let pet owners make appointments to have a new chip inserted at Hall County Animal Shelter for $20.
“The primary purpose of these stations is to reunite lost pets with their families, but they also provide peace of mind by allowing owners to confirm that their pet’s microchip is actually working,” Maloch said. “Microchips are designed to last the entire lifespan of your dog or cat’s life, but like any technology, it’s not perfect, and we have come across cases where a chip is no longer functioning.”
The animal shelter scans any animals brought in for a microchip upon arrival, officials said. If the pet doesn’t have a microchip, they insert one during intake and all adoptable pets are microchipped and vaccinated before adoption.
“If there is one thing we hope people take away from this initiative, it is to please microchip your animals. We’ve reunited microchipped animals whose families were all the way in Iowa and Florida,” Maloch said. “While these stories are rare, they do happen, and $20 is a very low cost to ensure the safe return of your furry family member.”
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