Humane Society Offers Low-Cost Microchipping

DETROIT -- The statistics are staggering. Of the pets that are separated from their owners, fewer than 20 percent of dogs and less than 3 percent of cats will ever find their way home.

That's a lot of heartache that can be easily prevented by taking precautionary steps, such as providing your pet with proper identification. To help create more happy reunions, the Michigan Humane Society is holding two  low-cost pet microchipping clinics open to all pet owners: on Saturday, Aug. 25 in Livonia and on Saturday, Sept. 8 in Farmington Hills.

Microchipping will be offered for $10, discounted from the regular cost of approximately $50. This provides your pet with a safe and permanent form of identification that can be identified by nearly every veterinarian, humane organization and local animal control across the country. When combined with an ID tag, the Humane Society says it's the best way to give your pet a ticket home.

The Livonia microchip clinic will be held at the City of Livonia DPW, 12973 Farmington Road, while the Farmington Hills microchip clinic will be held at Canine College, 23717 Research Drive. Both events will be held  10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Supplies of microchips are limited to 400 at each event, and will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.

All dogs and cats must be on leashes or in appropriate carriers; only bring animals who are comfortable around other animals. Be ready to provide the necessary information to register your microchip, including home address and phone number, name and phone number of your pet's veterinarian, and an alternate contact person's name and phone number.

For more information about the events, call 1-866-MHUMANE (648-6263) between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, or visit www.michiganhumane.org.