Burlington Animal Services has installed 10 pet microchip scanning stations at fire departments and sheriff’s offices across the county, giving residents a quick tool to reunite stray animals with their families.
Jessica Arias, animal services director at Burlington Animal Services, said the shelter has wanted to implement the scanning stations for several years because about 80% of lost pets are found within a mile of where they live.
“We know that often, pet owners have their pets microchipped for good reason,” Arias said. “When a pet gets lost, it's always when vets and shelters are closed on the evening or holidays and weekends.”
Arias said accessing a microchip scanner to see if a pet has a chip isn't always convenient, and BAS wanted to make it more accessible for the community to reunite lost pets with their owners.
“Instructions are on the stations themselves, and you can check for a microchip and contact the registry and help get that pet back home,” she said.
The 10 scanning stations are scattered throughout Alamance County, with one in each municipality, as well as rural areas. Nine of the scanning stations are located at fire departments and one is at the Alamance County Sheriff’s Office.
“It's just easy to know that we partner with our local municipal partners and county partners and fire departments across the county, and they have been invaluable partners,” Arias said.
Arias also said having scanners at fire departments and the Alamance County Sheriff's office gives concerned citizens easy access to a microchip pet scanner if they run into a lost pet.
BAS was given a grant to offset the cost of the stations and the scanners through PetLink, a pet reunification service, and Best Friends Animal Society, the largest no-kill animal sanctuary in the United States. Arias said PetLink helped with finding locations of the sites, and staff at BAS conducted some of the installations.
The closest microchip scanning system to Elon University’s campus is on South Williamson Avenue at the Elon Fire Department which was installed at the end of January. Fire Chief at Elon Fire Department Landon Massey said if someone brings a lost pet to the scanning station, firefighters will assist with making phone calls or trying to locate the owner.
The scanning stations are free to use, and Massey said that many Alamance County residents may not know about the stations.
“It's been a very positive thing for the community and the pet community here in Elon, and we will continue to maintain it here at the station as long as we can,” Massey said.