Scratch This: Microchips are the best hope for your lost pet's safe return

Issac the cat was brought into Long Beach Animal Care Services recently, and staff scanned him for a microchip. His human’s information popped up, and they contacted her.

The woman was gobsmacked, not because Issac had been found — that was why she had him microchipped. It turned out that Issac had sneaked out of the house two years ago when he was only 6 months old, and the human had been devastated.

Issac isn’t talking about where he’d been all this time, but the human is eternally grateful to both LBACS and to herself for having him chipped. A lot of people who took the minimal trouble to have a microchip implanted in their cat or dog feel the same way.

“My cat got out once,” Carol Weil said. “The neighbor took him to the vet to scan. They called me, and [my neighbor] realized she knew me and brought him home. So happy I did it!”

Statistics point to the effectiveness of microchipping pets. The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) cited a report from the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) that stated that 52.2% of microchipped dogs are returned to their homes compared with 21.9% of those with no chip — more than half. An even more impressive rate of cats was cited — 38.5% of microchipped kitties compared with only 1.8% for cats who have none. If you haven’t microchipped your pet, hopefully you will soon.

Microchip technology was first put to use to locate lost pets in the mid-1980s. A veterinary professional implants a tiny chip about the size of a grain of rice under the animal’s skin. Cats and dogs receive it between the shoulder blades; horses, birds and other animals have the chip implanted in other locations on the body. The chip is pinched into place, and Bob’s your uncle.

You’ll receive registration materials along with the chip implant. The first thing to do when you get home is to register your pet according to instructions; until you do, the microchip won’t help you or the pet. The registry associated with the chip will then have your information on their private database. Remember to update any information if you move. All information is confidential and is not shared or reported.

Microchips don’t take the place of collars and pet ID tags, which your pet should still wear (get a breakaway collar for the cat in case they get it caught on something).  But, Bastet forbid, if your BFF should become lost and the collar falls off, the microchip will be there to help get your buddy home.

Unlike GPS trackers, microchips don’t locate the pet. But if someone finds your cat or dog, they can take them to the shelter and request a scan. Many veterinarians will scan found pets free of charge.

You can buy your own scanning device online and use it to help locate the family of a pet you found. Scanners come in a range of prices — for your purposes, the best of the cheapest will do fine. Read the reviews. When you scan the pet, a number code will come up on the scanner. The AAHA’s website has a registry lookup tool that can help find the owner. Registries will not disclose the name of the owner, so identification is protected. The chip registries contact the owner.

“I've rescued a few dogs and reunited them thanks to microchips,” Victor White said. “Also, it's good if somebody steals your dog and goes to the vet.”

Even if the mangy thief doesn’t go to the vet, if they’re caught with your pet, the chip will provide proof of ownership.

Do indoor pets need microchips?

“But my cat is indoor only!” “My dog never leaves my sight!” The unexpected always happens — someone leaves a window open and the cat leaps out; some dope sets off a firework while you’re walking the dog, and the animal breaks free and flees in terror. You never know.

If your pet isn’t microchipped yet, take them to your vet, or opt for a low-cost clinic like Community Animal Medicine Project (CAMP) or Fix Long Beach. LBACS regularly hosts low-cost microchipping clinics with CAMP — access the full calendar here.

Summer is fast approaching, and with it, warm weather, open doors and windows, and more fools terrorizing military veterans and pets with fireworks. Get your buddies a microchip to help keep them safe. TNR warrior Ewa Enrique uses them to track colony cats as well as her own house pets.

“It’s the best way to assure that cat will get returned to the owner or organization that is registered with the chip,” she said.

That goes for dogs, too.

YOURS DROOLY

Long Beach Animal Care Services’ dog kennels are once again near capacity, and they are in desperate need of fosters for large breed dogs, over 30 pounds, for a minimum of 30 days. It's a huge help in reducing kennel stress. Of course, if you want to keep them longer, like forever, that’s fine, too — no pressure, of course. If you’re interested, please contact petfoster@longbeach.gov and fill out an application form here. Big dogs don’t get chosen as often as the little ones, and there are so many large dogs in shelters. Being cooped up in a kennel for long periods causes kennel stress, and no one gets to see their true personality and how great they are.

Foster a big dog and help them show their true selves. Here are a few candidates — the entire group is here on the web page.

If you’re a fan of treasure hunts, we’re certain that Radio’s (ID#A721516) marbled nose is a map of a foreign land and that one of his nostrils’ pink markings pinpoints the location of a secret buried treasure! That treasure is a hidden gem — sweet Radio, who’s spent half his life with us since being found as a stray in May ’24. He’s been great in shelter playgroups with other energetic, playful dogs. He was lucky to get a shelter break with a short-term foster last fall who shared that his favorite things were spending time with people and other dogs, belly rubs, playing fetch and nap time, although he does need company to help with his separation anxiety.

The people who fostered Radio were planning to keep him for just a month, but they loved him so much that they stretched it to two! They’d have kept him but for their two cats, who said a thing or two about not being able to access their entire domain! Radio would flourish with a patient, dog-savvy owner who could provide structure and company and offer guidance with leash manners and basic life skills. Volunteers feel he could make a great second dog for an active owner, though they always recommend proper, slow intros. If you’re looking for a fun and devoted companion, your treasure hunt is over!

Check out Fievel showing off his cool at the shelter playground!

In the journey of life, our boy Fievel (ID#A730461) was born to be your copilot. His background is a sad mystery — he was found roaming the streets in October, wearing a muzzle. Based on his worn facial fur and indentation line above his nose, it appeared that the muzzle was an all-too-frequent occurrence. That’s all behind him now, and he’s ready to taxi down the runway to your heart! Fievel has struggled with the stress and isolation of long-term shelter life, but boy, does his spirit take off the minute he’s with his human or dog friends! He knows how to keep his cool, too, as you can see in the second video. A playgroup superstar, Fievel has done very well with other playful, active dogs at the shelter, as you can see in the video.

He’s also never met a stranger and is affectionate & sweet, greeting every shelter volunteer with a tail that never stops wagging. He’s an active boy, but he also enjoys a good landing with a toy and his favorite humans. Fievel’s dream flight plan for a forever home would end up with long walks and companionship with a doggie sibling, patient humans who aren’t gone too much from home and who would help him adapt to the good life, and of course, lots of belly rubs! So, set your course to our shelter, because Fievel’s ETA for the forever home he deserves has been long delayed!

Cocobean (ID#A740889) is 4 years old, but the volunteers said that she’s lived “10 lifetimes of neglect.” She came in with chopped-off ears, mammary masses, a growth on her ankle and unmistakable signs of having been overbred. Yet somehow, she’s so appreciative of kind words and touches that it’s hard to believe that she suffered abuse. Volunteer Gary will never let her down, and neither will anyone else at LBACS. Look how gently she takes treats! She needs all the treats that she can gobble — she was skin and bones when she came in. Her foster is fattening her up! Cocobean needs a long-term foster or — the best possible thing — a forever home where she can get TLC. She’s already a good dog, but she may not know it. Can you prove it to her?

Yours drooly has been updated with a second video for Fievel. It's too good not to show! Also, minimum foster-period requirement has been updated.

TAIL-WAGGIN' AND NOSE-BOOPIN' EVENTS

California Adopt-a-Pet Day

Join Long Beach Animal Care Services in participating in the second annual California Adopt-a-Pet Day! Adopt your new best friend and get the adoption fee waived! (All application requirements still apply, but that’s a good thing!) More information about the event can be found here.

California Adopt-a-Pet Day takes place Saturday, June 7, 10 a.m.–3:30 p.m. at Long Beach Animal Care Services, 7700 E. Spring St. (at entrance to El Dorado Park), Long Beach. No parking fee for shelter visitors.

Cake Swap Party — with kittens!

June 15 is Father’s Day, so what better way to get a kitten adopted than to ply Dad with cake and then, when he’s stuffed with goodies and his resistance is down, lead him to the kitten tent and see if you can cadge him into adopting a cat. Just like when you were a kid! Bring a cake, pay for cake, or just look at the cakes on the table (if you bring a cake, bring a cake server, which you can take with you when you leave). Get a snack at the taco bar and enjoy pop-up shopping, and check out the reason you’re there: adoptable kittens! You must register to attend; read the rules and register here.

The Cake Swap Party takes place Sunday, June 15, noon–3 p.m. at the Sports Basement, 2100 N. Bellflower Blvd., Long Beach. Ticket prices are free to attend only or $23.18 for five slices of cake if you don’t bring a cake.

Cool Cat Collective’s Zine fest

Zines are DIY self-published booklets that can be about anything, and in this case, it’s cats. Cool Cat Collective, the 4^th Street boutique-cum-gallery-cum-kitty rescue, will present its first-ever Cat Zine Fest the weekend of June 27, and they’re looking to fill the shop with zines about or cats or featuring the little skeezicks. cat butts, fantastical cats, your own cat, your neighbor’s cat, a dream you had where you were a cat — the only limit is your imagination! Illustrators, writers, collage artists, all artists are welcome!

Please send all submissions to meow@coolcatcollective.co. General concepts due immediately; once your spot is confirmed, physical copies will be due by June 13. The inaugural Cat Zine Fest will be a weekend long celebration of cats and the zine medium. Cool Cat Collective will donate $1 from every zine sold to their rescue partner @tippedears. The more zines folks submit and the more that sell, the more kitties will be saved!

The Cat Zine Fest takes place on Fourth Friday, June 27, 6 p.m. at Cool Cat Collective, 2741 E. Fourth St., C, Long Beach.

Need a low-cost veterinarian, information about trapping community cats, places to volunteer, rescues and shelters to adopt from — anything pet related? Follow this link for resources. Please add your own ideas in the Comments section.