VIROQUA, Wis. – Driftless Humane Society and Lost Dogs of Wisconsin have found an innovative way to connect lost pets with their owners by installing a microchip scanner that is readily available for public use.
“Our partnership on this project gives our community the tools and resources to connect lost pets with their owners faster and eliminate the need for animals to stay at Driftless Humane Society,” said Emily Rozeske, Executive Director of Driftless Humane Society.
Microchipping technology has been used for many years in the pet care industry, to connect each pet with its owner, similar to an identification tag. Physical identification tags placed on collars are a great option for pet owners, but collars can be removed or slip off, and the engraving on an identification tag can wear down over time. Microchips are a permanent form of identification and are implanted in a dog or cat under the skin between the shoulder blades. Most local veterinarians can implant microchips, and the Driftless Humane Society offers low-cost microchipping events throughout the year. Once implanted by a veterinarian, the owner will register their pet through an online database.
Microchip implants are called radio frequency identification (RFID) tags. They are tiny, about the size of a large grain of rice, and do not have a battery or power. Microchips passively store a unique identification number and do not actively transmit any information, until they are read with a microchip scanner. The microchip reader detects the electronic code embedded in the chip and displays the identification number on its screen. The registration database is then checked for this identification number (either online or by telephone), and the pet owner’s contact information is retrieved.
Most veterinarian clinics and humane societies have microchip scanners to identify lost pets. If someone finds a stray dog or cat and can secure the animal, the recommended first step is to take the animal to get scanned. If the animal has a microchip and is registered to their owner, contact can be made to connect the animal with their rightful owner.
Frequently, stray animals are found after normal working hours of veterinary clinics or humane societies, so access to a microchip scanner can be difficult. To connect lost animals with their owners faster, the Driftless Humane Society has installed a microchip scanner in the entryway of the shelter located at 1150 Nelson Parkway in Viroqua. The entryway is currently open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for donations. The microchip scanner was a generous donation from Lost Dogs of Wisconsin.
“We are a group of volunteers that empower owners with tools to assist them in locating their lost dogs and provide finders of lost dogs with resources to facilitate more reunions, shared Kathy Pobloskie, Director, and co-founder of Lost Dogs of Wisconsin. “This new microchip scanner will help reunite animals sooner.”
About Driftless Humane Society The Driftless Humane Society is a no-kill, non-profit shelter located in Viroqua, WI. Their mission is to engage the hearts, hands, and minds of our community by bringing positive change to the lives of people and animals. DHS is dedicated to operating an animal shelter for the purpose of finding a quality forever home for each animal they serve, encouraging a
community of responsible companion animal guardians, eliminating the community’s need to euthanize dogs and cats as a means of population control, and promoting a society where companion animals are more valued.
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