DuPage County Animal Services is hosting a free pet microchipping clinic Saturdays.
No appointment is necessary to attend the drive-through clinic, taking place from 8 am to 8 pm at the county’s animal shelter, 120 N. County Farm Road in Wheaton. All dogs must be on a leash, and all cats must be in carriers.
The county’s animal services department is partnering with the Chicagoland Humane Coalition and 24Pet to host the 12-hour “Chip In” event ahead of the Fourth of July, when the open-admission shelter often sees an increase in missing pets. 24Pet is donating the microchips.
“Microchipped dogs and cats are significantly more likely to be returned to their owners,” Brian Krajewski, chairman of the county’s animal services committee, said in a statement Tuesday.
Shelter officials say they want to microchip as many pets as possible and have requested 300 of the devices. According to 24Pet, implanted microchips help to identify and recover lost animals and provide shelters or veterinarians with a way to contact the owners. When a pet is found, it can be traced by waving a scanner over the shoulder area to see if it is carrying a chip.
During the event, pet owners can access engraved ID tags and other supplies such as food, leeches and collars. DuPage Animal Services is also waiving adoption fees on select dogs.
For details, visit 24pet.com/chip-in.