During disasters like the Park Fire, those evacuating are sometimes separated from their pets. Microchipping can help families be reunited with their animals if they are lost.
Around 10 dogs are still separated from their owners in the aftermath of the Park Fire, according to listings on the lost animal website, Petconnect. Daniel Gebhart, a veterinarian at VCA Valley Oak Veterinary Center in Chico, told NSPR in previous reporting that only 5% of the hundreds of pets he treated after the Camp and Bear fires had microchips.
Butte County Humane Society is providing cost-covered microchipping for all Butte County residents on a first-come, first-served basis as funds become available.
The program is funded by donations. The organization is a privately run nonprofit and operates without contracts with the city or county to provide services.
Executive Director Emily Acevedo said they wanted to offer microchipping to help more owners be reunited with their pets during emergencies. During evacuations such as the Camp Fire and the Oroville spillway, some did not have enough time to return home and evacuate their pets.
“Some people only had time to let their pets loose and hope that they made it to safety, and what we've seen in the aftermath of these is stray pets end up at a temporary emergency shelter,” Acevedo said. “And the quickest way to get them reunited, or to even let their owners know that they've been recovered and they're safe, is scanning a microchip.”
Benefits of microchipping
Microchipping gives lost or separated pets a much better chance to make it back to their owners. The chip stores the owner's contact information and can be updated.
“It's as simple as putting it into a database and you get that contact information and you can call the owner and say, we have your pet they’re here,” Acevedo said.
The organization was involved in efforts to shelter and reunite pets in several disasters. They hope to make future disasters easier for pet owners.
“The lack of microchipping means that if, unless you're somebody who's displaced by the disaster and you know where to look, you might not find your pet,” Acevedo said. “And the reality is that the temporary shelters are designed to close eventually. They're only active while the emergency is going on.”
The animals that are not claimed by their owners need to be transferred to other shelters. If they’re lucky, they'll end up in a shelter located within the county that was impacted by the disaster. However, if there isn’t enough room, animals may be transferred to different counties or even states.
“The microchip is that one key piece of identifying information,” she said. “Collars can fall off, tags can get burned, but the microchip is going to stay.
To microchip a pet, clients can call to make an appointment at the Butte Humane Society or just show up Tuesday through Friday. Free microchipping is available on a first come first serve basis as funds last. Each household is limited to two free microchips.
Residents are asked to bring a valid identification document with a Butte County address.
