The weeks just before and after the Fourth of July holiday are LA Animal Services’ very busiest, because so many beloved pets are scared by loud fireworks, flee the sound, and end up lost, in city shelters, or worse.
One of the most helpful tools for recovering lost pets is having them microchipped with your name and contact information, which someone who finds a lost pet can access by taking the animal to a vet or shelter for a free scan.
Starting today (Saturday, June 24) and running through Sunday, July 9, the chipping process will be easier and cheaper than ever, if done through one of the six LA Animal Services Centers.
According to the Los Angeles Department of Animal Services:
“Thanks to a grant from Petco Love, LA Animal Services will be offering free microchips and tags to pets starting Saturday, June 24 through July 9 (while supplies last). No appointment is needed to get your pet microchipped starting Saturday, June 24, and Angelenos may visit any of the six LA Animal Services Centers…Center hours will be 8am to 5pm, Tuesdays through Fridays, and 11am to 5pm on Saturdays and Sundays. City shelters will be closed on Mondays and City-observed holidays.
“We’re so thankful for this generous grant from Petco Love, especially with 4th of July right around the corner” said Annette Ramirez, Interim General Manager for LA Animal Services, “It’s so important to make sure your pet is microchipped and if your pet is already microchipped, to make sure your contact information is up-to-date.”
For more information about LA Animal Services, visit: laanimalservices.com.”
So if you have a pet who hasn’t yet been chipped, whether or not they routinely spend time outdoors, this would be a great time to do it. (And, yes, chipping is worthwhile even for indoor pets, who can still slip out through an open window or door when they’re scared, or when the house is full of people for a holiday party.)
Also, because so many pets are lost during the July 4 week, Animal Services needs more people to foster pets than at any other time of the year, to make sure there’s space for new arrivals at the shelters. See http://www.laanimalservices.com for the six city shelter locations, and for more information about microchipping, fostering…or adopting, if you’re ready for a longer commitment.
