Atascocita Fire Department now offering free microchip scans for lost pets

Atascocita Fire Department will now be able to scan lost pets for microchips after Harris County Public Health donated scanners to the department as part of a new partnership program.

The overview

AFD is now offering free microchip scans of lost cats and dogs so they can be reunited with their owners, AFD Public Information Officer Jerry Dilliard said during a Feb. 25 press conference. The department received three scanners—with one to be housed at each of the department’s three stations—from HCPH’s Veterinary Public Health Department.

The information from the microchip will be given to the person who found the animal so they can reunite the pet with its owner, Dilliard said. This new program is expected to reduce the time pets spend lost and the amount of lost pets sent to animal shelters.

“This ongoing effort is an important way to keep pets with their families. ... A simple microchip scan can make the difference between a pet returning home the same day or being separated for weeks,” said Lauren Davis, associate director for Harris County Veterinary Public Health, via a Feb. 17 news release from AFD.

Also of note

AFD cannot house the lost animals brought in for microchip scanning or update out-of-date microchips, Dilliard said.

If a community member finds a lost pet, but does not have the ability to house or care for them until they are reunited with their owner, they should contact Harris County Veterinary Public Health at 281-999-3191, according to the release.

Zooming out

HCPH’s donation to AFD is part of an effort to aid lost animals in unincorporated Harris County, Dilliard said. Other fire departments across the county have also been approached to launch similar microchip scanning programs, he added.

Learn more

According to AFD's website, the department has three stations:

For more information on AFD, visit www.avfd.com. To learn more about Harris County Pets—the county’s animal shelter—visit www.countypets.com.