The St. Charles Parish Animal Shelter will host a Check the Chip event Friday, Aug. 15 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at its location on 921 Deputy Jeff G. Watson Drive in Luling
The shelter staff will check pets’ microchips and owners will receive guidance on checking and updating their pet’s registration information. The shelter will also provide free microchipping services for pets that do not have one. Proof of residency is required.
The event aims to help residents keep their pets safe and secure during an emergency like a hurricane.
Shelter Supervisor Dr. Jena Troxler said hurricane season is a great time for residents to prepare for a potential evacuation with their pets. Nearly all microchipped pets separated from their owners during a disaster are reunited, she said.
“So, we want to ensure that as many pets as possible are microchipped,” Troxler said. “This event is also a great time for owners to check their pet’s registration and update their address, phone number, and email so the microchip company has the right information on file.”
She said pet owners who microchip their pets add a second layer of assurance that whenever pets and people are separated there is a way to reunite them.
“We hope pets and owners are never separated, but that’s not realistic,” Troxler said.
Troxler said the only way for microchipping to work is to keep up with the registration.
“Pet owners must update the registration every time they move or change phone numbers so the microchip company can reach them when their pet is found,” she said. “Another tip for microchipping that residents can implement is to add their pet to their contact list with the microchip number, the company it’s registered to, and even their photo, so all the information is in an easily accessible and shareable place.”
Through the microchip’s registry at aaha.org, pet owners can find contact information for the manufacturer of their pet’s microchip and can call to update personal information.
Local vet fees for implant and registration of a microchip are typically about $55. The shelter received a grant to host the Check the Chip event for residents.
Pets adopted from the shelter are microchipped and have full medical care as part of the $80 adoption fee. Troxler said the shelter automatically registers the microchip with the microchip company to include the owner’s name, address and phone number when the pet is adopted. There is no membership fee with the company, 24 Hour Petwatch. The pet is registered for life, but the owner must update the information on the chip if they move, rehome the pet or change phone numbers.
The shelter recently installed a 24/7 pet microchip scanning station to help reunite lost pets with their owners.
Each year, the shelter takes in about 1,2000 pets. Now, residents can use the self-service station to find a lost, healthy pet’s owner without having to bring the pet into the shelter for admission, intake and processing.
Turning Rescues Into Pets, a nonprofit that provides support for homeless pets, raised funds and donated the $100 in parts to the shelter for the scanning station.
Troxler said that finders of pets are responsible for holding the lost pet until it can be given to its owner or until the animal shelter opens for proper intake.
The shelter also recently adjusted its weekday public hours. It now opens at 10 a.m. Monday through Friday.
According to a press release, this change will allow staff to dedicate the early morning hours to essential animal care and wellness activities.
“The revised schedule aligns with best practices observed at animal shelters throughout the region,” the press release stated. “By prioritizing morning tasks such as feeding, cleaning, medical assessments, and enrichment, shelter staff can better support the health and well-being of the animals in their care before serving the public.”
