For many families in Moreno Valley, a dog or cat is much more than a household pet. They are companions who greet children after school, provide comfort during difficult times, and become cherished members of the family. Yet every year, thousands of pets become separated from their owners, leaving families heartbroken and local animal shelters working to reunite them whenever possible.
To help reduce those heartbreaking situations, Riverside County Department of Animal Services recently partnered with community organizations to provide a free pet microchip clinic for Moreno Valley residents. The event offered pet owners the opportunity to permanently identify their dogs and cats using a tiny electronic microchip that greatly increases the chances of a lost animal being reunited with its family.
Unlike collars or identification tags, which can break or fall off, a microchip provides permanent identification that remains with the animal throughout its lifetime. About the size of a grain of rice, the microchip is placed beneath the skin during a quick procedure that takes only seconds and requires no surgery. When a lost pet arrives at an animal shelter or veterinary clinic, staff members use a handheld scanner to detect the chip and retrieve the owner’s registration information…