Get Chipped or Get Lost

June is National Microchipping Month, so don't skip the chip.

Every year, thousands of pets go missing in Miami-Dade County. Unfortunately, many of them never make it back home. Miami-Dade County Animal Services is encouraging pet owners to microchip their pets as part of the new Get Chipped or Get Lost campaign, a countywide effort to help reunite more lost pets with their families.

A microchip is a small device, about the size of a grain of rice, that is inserted under your pet’s skin. It contains a unique identification number that links you to your pet in a national database. Unlike collars or tags, which can fall off or become unreadable, a microchip provides permanent and reliable identification.

The procedure is safe, quick, and no more uncomfortable than a routine vaccination. It is especially helpful in cases where a pet’s collar is lost, the tag is worn or the animal is picked up without any visible ID.

Microchipping is available on a walk-in basis at the Wellness Clinic at the Pet Adoption and Protection Center, located at 3599 NW 79th Avenue in Doral. Appointments are not required. Pet owners who already have their animals microchipped are encouraged to verify that their contact information is current in the microchip registry.

In addition to the Wellness Clinic, microchip scanners are available at Animal Services and most veterinary clinics, making it easy to check whether a found pet is chipped.

For more information on microchipping, clinic hours or pet reunification resources, visit miamidade.gov/animals.

Don’t wait until it’s too late — Get Chipped or Get Lost.