Lost, Found and Looking: All you need to know about microchipping

From the desk of Events Coordinator Kasey Bielecki:

Microchipping. It’s been a little while since we’ve chatted about microchipping pets.

Over the past two months, more than 50 animals have been reported lost/missing to Pope Memorial Humane Society. Of those 50+ animals, only seven had microchips. Almost every single microchipped animal was reunited with its owner. Do microchips guarantee being reunited? No. But, if your pet is microchipped, the likelihood of being reunited is much higher.

Is your cat indoors only? Even more of a reason to get them microchipped. They are not used to being outside and will be extremely scared and frightened should they get out. Accidents happen. Window screens fall out; doors don’t shut tightly, you never know. It is best to be prepared.

Have you adopted from Pope Memorial Humane Society? Every single cat adopted since 2018 is microchipped. All dogs adopted from PMHS are microchipped, too! Have you updated the registration information? If so, has your information changed? Did you move to a new address? Phone number change? Did you update the microchip information?

Not sure if your animal is microchipped? Give the vet or PMHS a call. Both the veterinarian and the shelter can scan your pet for a microchip. No microchip? Give Pope Memorial Humane Society a call. Microchips cost $25 per animal with no additional fees, ever. The shelter staff would be happy to set you up with a time to come in and add a sense of security should your pet ever become lost.

You probably get the point by now. We cannot stress microchipping pets enough. Our hearts break every single time a pet is reported lost. On the other side of things, every time a stray animal comes into the shelter, we are thrilled when they are microchipped! Even more so when the information is up to date.

A quick save the date. Shepard Auto and Shepard Storage are hosting a Trunk-or-Treat Drive Thru from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30. This event will also be a donation drive for Pope Memorial Humane Society.

Get your Halloween costumes ready and prepare the kids for some drive-thru fun while supporting local homeless pets in the care of Pope Memorial Humane Society. For more information, check out the Shepard and PMHS Facebook pages.

Wish list: pate style chicken recipe canned cat food, canned dog food, paper towels, cleaning supplies, gift certificates to Hannaford, Walmart, and other local businesses.